Judit Virág Gallery Holds First Contemporary Art Auction

The auction, on November 27, featured works by Hungarian artists made between 1945 and 2000. Among the offerings were art by Dezső Korniss, Lili Ország, Endre Bálint, Sándor Altorjay, Imre Bukta, Frigyes Kőnig, El Kazovszkij, Tibor Csernus and Eszter Radák.

 

The Judit Virág Gallery, established in 1997, has held three auctions each year until now, mainly featuring works by important Hungarian artists of the 19^th and early 20^th century. The gallery is also famous for its offerings of Zsolnay porcelain from the period.

 

Gallery owner Judit Virág says the decision to enter the contemporary art market was made because the growing interest in art made after 1945 has become a global phenomenon, and it has reached Hungary. An increasing number of Hungarians would rather collect Imre Bak, László Fehér or the Bulgarian artist Ludmil Siskov than the old Hungarian masters Mednyánszky or Czóbel.

 

Demand for these works of contemporary art is reflected in their starting prices: a work by Tibor Csernus, who recently died, was put on the block for HUF 5 million at the auction. Bidding for a work by Dezső Korniss, made in 1959, started at HUF 4.5 million.