Hong Kong Phooey street art replica fetches HK$2 million at auction
What was trash in the eyes of the government turned out to be treasure in the art market as a replica of a street artwork removed by authorities last year fetched nearly HK$2 million at auction.
What was trash in the eyes of the government turned out to be treasure in the art market as a replica of a street artwork made of a mosaic of colourful tiles that was taken down by authorities last year fetched nearly HK$2 million at auction last night.
Alias HK_58, a version of a work by French street artist Invader, sold for HK$1.96 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong contemporary art sale, including the buyer's premium. The successful bidder was a European private collector.
The item first appeared in Happy Valley at the start of last year as one of 75 street artworks that Invader created in the city during his "artistic invasion".
The version auctioned is made of ceramic tiles on a glass panel - a replica of the original street artwork.
Invader's publicist told the Post that the work was sold to a Hong Kong collector last January and was the largest work from the artist to appear in an auction.