Art Auction East Africa

Modern and Contemporary
Art Auction East Africa 2017

InterContinental Hotel, Nairobi

27 February 2017 · 54 lots

Circle Art Auction 2017 was the 4th edition of the sale, and took over a year to curate and collect. It presented 54 modern and contemporary artworks from both the secondary and primary market, representing seven countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Ethiopia, Seychelles and Zimbabwe.

The selection ranged from rare art dating as early as 1958, by artists never before presented in the auction, through to current work by the region's most promising contemporary artists. Of the 54 lots offered, 46 sold — a sell-through rate of 85% — with total sales of KES 19,609,900.

The three highest prices were Windows of My Soul by Yassir Ali Mohammed (Lot 42) and Too Tasteful by Rashid Diab (Lot 53), level at KES 1,408,800 each, followed by Edward Saidi Tingatinga's Untitled (Khanga) (Lot 14) at KES 1,056,600.

Artist focus: Rashid Diab. The Sudanese painter shared the top price of the sale with Too Tasteful (Lot 53) and has been among the auction's most consistently sought-after modern names, a reminder of how central Sudanese art has been to the sale's international reach.

Sponsors

Standard Chartered
DT Dobie
Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi

Supported by

Heritage Insurance Company
Majestic Printing Works Limited
P&L Consulting
Peponi Hotel
Moët & Chandon

CATALOGUE

Art Auction East Africa 2017 catalogue cover
DOWNLOAD CATALOGUE

Showing 54 of 54 lots

Lot 1 — Peterson Kamwathi, Maximum Reforms from Constitutional Bull Series

Lot 1

Peterson Kamwathi

Maximum Reforms from Constitutional Bull Series, 2008

KES 350,000 – 480,000

USD 3,300 – 4,500

Sold KES 763,100

Lot 2 — George William Kyeyune, Nude

Lot 2

George William Kyeyune

Nude, 2003

KES 270,000 – 370,000

USD 2,500 – 3,500

Sold KES 645,700

Lot 3 — Geoffrey Mukasa, Seven Faces

Lot 3

Geoffrey Mukasa

Seven Faces, 2000

KES 375,000 – 550,000

USD 3,500 – 5,000

Sold KES 410,900

Lot 4 — Fitsum Behre Woldelibanos, Appearance

Lot 4

Fitsum Behre Woldelibanos

Appearance, circa 2010-2011

KES 200,000 – 300,000

USD 1,870 – 2,800

Sold KES 410,900

Lot 5 — George Lilanga, Watu Wnajiandaa Kwa Mahitaji Ya Mwaka Mpya Mda Mchache Uajo

Lot 5

George Lilanga

Watu Wnajiandaa Kwa Mahitaji Ya Mwaka Mpya Mda Mchache Uajo, undated

KES 350,000 – 500,000

USD 3,270 – 4,670

Sold KES 350,000

Lot 6 — George Lilanga, Shetani Playing the Guitar

Lot 6

George Lilanga

Shetani Playing the Guitar, circa 2000-2001

KES 200,000 – 400,000

USD 1,870 – 3,740

Sold KES 258,280

Lot 7 — Euwitt Nyanhongo, Head

Lot 7

Euwitt Nyanhongo

Head, undated

KES 70,000 – 120,000

USD 650 – 1,120

Sold KES 129,140

Lot 8 — Godfrey Kututwa, Lovers

Lot 8

Godfrey Kututwa

Lovers, undated

KES 70,000 – 120,000

USD 650 – 1,120

Sold KES 70,440

Lot 9 — Sane Wadu, Big Race, after 2000

Lot 9

Sane Wadu

Big Race, after 2000

KES 60,000 – 100,000

USD 560 – 930

Sold KES 111,530

Lot 10 — Jak Katarikawe, God Help

Lot 10

Jak Katarikawe

God Help, undated

KES 300,000 – 550,000

USD 2,800 – 5,140

Sold KES 293,500

Lot 11 — Paul Onditi, Untitled

Lot 11

Paul Onditi

Untitled, 2014

KES 275,000 – 350,000

USD 2,570 – 3,270

Bought in

Lot 12 — Nadir Tharani, Hold On 4

Lot 12

Nadir Tharani

Hold On 4, 2016

KES 150,000 – 250,000

USD 1,400 – 2,340

Sold KES 281,760

Lot 13 — Edward Saidi Tingatinga, Untitled (Twiga)

Lot 13

Edward Saidi Tingatinga

Untitled (Twiga), circa 1968-1972

KES 350,000 – 500,000

USD 3,270 – 4,670

Sold KES 774,840

Lot 14 — Edward Saidi Tingatinga, Untitled (Khanga)

Lot 14

Edward Saidi Tingatinga

Untitled (Khanga), circa 1968-1972

KES 350,000 – 500,000

USD 3,270 – 4,670

Sold KES 1,056,600

Lot 15 — Ahmed Abushariaa, Untitled

Lot 15

Ahmed Abushariaa

Untitled, undated

KES 110,000 – 200,000

USD 1,030 – 1,870

Sold KES 117,400

Lot 16 — Charles Sekano, Untitled

Lot 16

Charles Sekano

Untitled, undated

KES 300,000 – 400,000

USD 2,800 – 3,740

Sold KES 375,680

Lot 17 — Lawrence ‘Shabu’ Mwangi, New Democracy 1

Lot 17

Lawrence ‘Shabu’ Mwangi

New Democracy 1, 2016

KES 275,000 – 350,000

USD 2,570 – 3,270

Sold KES 305,240

Lot 18 — Tibebe Terffa, Untitled

Lot 18

Tibebe Terffa

Untitled, 2016

KES 330,000 – 400,000

USD 3,270 – 3,740

Sold KES 422,640

Lot 19 — Onyis Martin, Dance, Reject, Return (triptych)

Lot 19

Onyis Martin

Dance, Reject, Return (triptych), 2016

KES 150,000 – 250,000

USD 1,400 – 2,350

Sold KES 305,240

Lot 20 — Gakunju Kaigwa, Bust

Lot 20

Gakunju Kaigwa

Bust, circa 1998

KES 600,000 – 800,000

USD 5,610 – 7,480

Sold KES 704,400

Lot 21 — Michael Adams MBE (Seychellois/British, born 1937), Karamoja

Lot 21

Michael Adams MBE (Seychellois/British, born 1937)

Karamoja, 1964

KES 90,000 – 120,000

USD 840 – 1,120

Sold KES 111,530

Lot 22 — Ali Hussein Darwish (Tanzanian/British, born 1936), Forest

Lot 22

Ali Hussein Darwish (Tanzanian/British, born 1936)

Forest, 1971

KES 400,000 – 530,000

USD 3,750 – 5,000

Sold KES 587,000

Lot 23 — Dawit Abebe, X Privacy 33

Lot 23

Dawit Abebe

X Privacy 33, 2016

KES 650,000 – 850,000

USD 6,000 – 8,000

Bought in

Lot 24 — Eli Kyeyune, Hairdressing

Lot 24

Eli Kyeyune

Hairdressing, 1975

KES 700,000 – 850,000

USD 6,500 – 8,000

Sold KES 798,320

Lot 25 — Yony Waite, Untitled I and Untitled II

Lot 25

Yony Waite

Untitled I and Untitled II, circa 2002-2005

KES 70,000 – 120,000

USD 650 – 1,120

Sold KES 88,050

Lot 26 — Abdel Basit El Khatim, 54 Years – (Modern and Ancient)

Lot 26

Abdel Basit El Khatim

54 Years – (Modern and Ancient), 1995

KES 270,000 – 350,000

USD 2,520 – 3,270

Sold KES 469,600

Lot 27 — Edward Njenga, No Vacancy

Lot 27

Edward Njenga

No Vacancy, 1970

KES 800,000 – 1,000,000

USD 7,480 – 9,350

Bought in

Lot 28 — Edward Njenga, Garbage Collector

Lot 28

Edward Njenga

Garbage Collector, 1999

KES 500,000 – 600,000

USD 4,670 – 5,600

Bought in

Lot 29 — Dennis Muraguri, Matatu

Lot 29

Dennis Muraguri

Matatu, 2015

KES 600,000 – 800,000

USD 5,600 – 7,480

Sold KES 645,700

Lot 30 — Lilian Mary Nabulime, OK, Sure, Oh, Wu

Lot 30

Lilian Mary Nabulime

OK, Sure, Oh, Wu, 2016

KES 85,000 – 130,000

USD 800 – 1,200

Sold KES 65,000

Lot 31 — Henry Mzili Mujunga, Kati Kati (here and now)

Lot 31

Henry Mzili Mujunga

Kati Kati (here and now), 2016

KES 320,000 – 430,000

USD 3,000 – 4,000

Sold KES 410,900

Lot 32 — Boniface Maina, Regression Graph

Lot 32

Boniface Maina

Regression Graph, 2016

KES 220,000 – 320,000

USD 2,000 – 3,000

Sold KES 234,800

Lot 33 — Geoffrey Mukasa, Mother and Child

Lot 33

Geoffrey Mukasa

Mother and Child, circa 1992-1998

KES 470,000 – 960,000

USD 4,400 – 9,000

Sold KES 563,520

Lot 34 — El Sadig Agena, Untitled

Lot 34

El Sadig Agena

Untitled, 2016

KES 300,000 – 350,000

USD 2,800 – 3,270

Sold KES 352,200

Lot 35 — Tahir Carl Karmali, Untitled from the series Jua Kali

Lot 35

Tahir Carl Karmali

Untitled from the series Jua Kali, 2014

KES 180,000 – 215,000

USD 1,700 – 2,000

Sold KES 410,900

Lot 36 — Girma Berta, Moving Shadows V, 2015 and Moving Shadows VIII

Lot 36

Girma Berta

Moving Shadows V, 2015 and Moving Shadows VIII, 2016

KES 270,000 – 320,000

USD 2,500 – 3,000

Sold KES 446,120

Lot 37 — Michael Tsegaye, Ankober IX

Lot 37

Michael Tsegaye

Ankober IX, 2006

KES 375,000 – 430,000

USD 3,500 – 4,000

Sold KES 493,080

Lot 38 — Ato Malinda, Representation

Lot 38

Ato Malinda

Representation, 2014

KES 235,000 – 450,000

USD 2,200 – 4,200

Sold KES 258,280

Lot 39 — Robin Anderson, Maasai Women

Lot 39

Robin Anderson

Maasai Women, circa 1960

KES 220,000 – 400,000

USD 2,060 – 3,740

Bought in

Lot 40 — John Obaso Diang’a, Watching, 1986 and Broadcasting

Lot 40

John Obaso Diang’a

Watching, 1986 and Broadcasting, 1986

KES 50,000 – 80,000

USD 470 – 750

Sold KES 41,090

Lot 41 — Ephrem Solomon, Untitled

Lot 41

Ephrem Solomon

Untitled, 2016

KES 160,000 – 320,000

USD 1,500 – 3,000

Sold KES 305,240

Lot 42 — Yassir Ali Mohammed, Windows of My Soul

Lot 42

Yassir Ali Mohammed

Windows of My Soul, 2016

KES 800,000 – 1,300,000

USD 7,480 – 12,150

Sold KES 1,408,800

Lot 43 — Geraldine Robarts, Still Life in Studio

Lot 43

Geraldine Robarts

Still Life in Studio, 1958

KES 175,000 – 300,000

USD 1,630 – 2,800

Sold KES 187,840

Lot 44 — Romano Lutwama, Untitled

Lot 44

Romano Lutwama

Untitled, circa 1989

KES 350,000 – 460,000

USD 3,300 – 4,300

Sold KES 352,200

Lot 45 — Morris Foit, Mother and Twins

Lot 45

Morris Foit

Mother and Twins, undated

KES 400,000 – 700,000

USD 3,740 – 6,540

Bought in

Lot 46 — Richard Kimathi, Bird in the Hand

Lot 46

Richard Kimathi

Bird in the Hand, 1998

KES 110,000 – 170,000

USD 1,000 – 1,600

Sold KES 176,100

Lot 47 — Robert Saidi, Untitled (My Royal Sister)

Lot 47

Robert Saidi

Untitled (My Royal Sister), 1990

KES 190,000 – 320,000

USD 1,750 – 3,000

Sold KES 199,580

Lot 48 — Jak Katarikawe, Jealous Girl

Lot 48

Jak Katarikawe

Jealous Girl, circa 1985

KES 320,000 – 600,000

USD 3,000 – 5,500

Bought in

Lot 49 — Jimnah Kimani, Expressions

Lot 49

Jimnah Kimani

Expressions, 2004-2005

KES 110,000 – 170,000

USD 1,000 – 1,600

Bought in

Lot 50 — Merikokeb Berhanu, Untitled III, Corporeal Contemplation Series

Lot 50

Merikokeb Berhanu

Untitled III, Corporeal Contemplation Series, 2014

KES 375,000 – 430,000

USD 3,500 – 4,000

Sold KES 422,640

Lot 51 — Eria ‘Sane’ Nsubuga, The Stare Down

Lot 51

Eria ‘Sane’ Nsubuga

The Stare Down, 2015

KES 135,000 – 200,000

USD 1,260 – 1,870

Sold KES 140,880

Lot 52 — Ian Mwesiga, Black Man in a White Suit

Lot 52

Ian Mwesiga

Black Man in a White Suit, 2016

KES 185,000 – 240,000

USD 1,750 – 2,250

Sold KES 281,760

Lot 53 — Rashid Diab, Too Tasteful

Lot 53

Rashid Diab

Too Tasteful, 2014

KES 1,050,000 – 1,600,000

USD 9,800 – 15,000

Sold KES 1,408,800

Lot 54 — Evans Omondi ‘Omosh Kindeh’, Untitled

Lot 54

Evans Omondi ‘Omosh Kindeh’

Untitled, circa 2014

KES 400,000 – 800,000

USD 3,750 – 7,500

Sold KES 962,680

← Back to home