6 of the most expensive African artworks sold in the last decade
$1M to $12M worth!
Art is a reflection of the culture, history, and expressions of the societies that create them. With African visual art becoming mainstream in recent years, there has been a remarkable surge in the monetary value of these pieces.
Today, collectors and enthusiasts alike recognise the continent’s rich and diverse artistic heritage and desire to have more contemporary African pieces in their collections.
In today’s digest, we will be exploring 6 of the most expensive African artworks ever sold in the last decade. Lest we forget, these remarkable prices are a clear testament to their exceptional craftsmanship, historical significance, and cultural resonance.
1. Senufo female statue - by The ‘Master of Sikasso. Sold for $12M (2014)
Originally received spotlight in this digest, the strikingly elongated statue of an unknown woman has set a record for the most expensive auction result for an African art piece. Created by the Master of Sikasso, an anonymous and active artist from Burkina Faso from the 19th to 20th centuries.
It is 1 of 5 unique known figures, making it exceptionally rare. Its groundbreaking auction sale is proof that traditional art is a major player in the global art market.
2. Black Ground (Deep Light) - by Julie Mehretu. Sold for $5.6M (2019)
Julie Mehretu is a contemporary artist known for her large-scale gestural abstract paintings. Her work is often inspired by architecture, maps, and other forms of urban planning.
In her painting Black Ground (Deep Light), Mehretu uses these elements to create a chaotic and violent cityscape. The painting is dominated by black lines and shapes, which suggest the outlines of buildings and streets. These lines are overlaid with gestural brushstrokes of colour, which create a sense of movement and energy. The overall effect is one of a city in flux, on the brink of destruction or formation.
Mehretu's painting can be seen as a commentary on the violence and chaos that often accompanies urban growth. The city is a place of constant change, and this change can be both positive and negative. In Black Ground (deep light), Mehretu captures the destructive potential of urban growth, but she also suggests that it is a necessary process.
The painting is a powerful and evocative work that speaks to the complex and often contradictory nature of urban life. It is a reminder that cities are not just places of order and progress, but also of violence and chaos.
3. Bush Babies - by Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Sold for $3.4M (2018)
Like many of her paintings, “Bush Babies” is inspired by her trans-cultural heritage and her experiences as a Nigerian woman living in America.
Artist Statement:
“It is about what it means to be someone who has existed between multiple worlds and carries all those influences with them at once… I’m trying to use my work, and my life story, to explore this idea of a liminal space, or a third space, where multiple things come together to yield a new thing.”
According to London’s Victoria Miro Gallery; her works are densely layered figurative compositions that are precise in style, nonetheless conjure the complexity of contemporary experience.
4. Tutu - by Ben Enwonwu. Sold for $1.68M (2018)
The story of the second ‘Tutu’ is one of the most fascinating stories in the art world. According to Ben Okri, writing for the Financial Times, the recovery of the painting is “the most significant discovery in contemporary African art in over 50 years.” It is the only authentic Tutu, the equivalent of some rare archaeological find. Having been lost for decades, the painting was found in a modest London flat when the family that owned it invited a Bonhams specialist to appraise it.
Painted three years after the end of the Nigerian Civil War, the work was intended to be an expression of national unity and Enwonwu’s way of celebrating his country’s cultural identity.
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5. Recycled Dreams (Uniting the World with a Stitch) - by El Anatsui. Sold for $1.5M (2018)
This classic draping wall-hung sculpture is made of bottle caps, Aluminium, and other discarded materials. Like most of Anatsui’s creations, it resembles mediaeval tapestries and indigenous Ghanaian arts and crafts. The sculpture touches upon themes of cross-cultural unity, environmentalism, and consumerism in the modern age.
Anatsui’s work is often inspired by his Ghanaian heritage and his experiences living in a globalised world. He uses discarded materials to create sculptures that are both beautiful and thought-provoking. His work explores the interconnectedness of cultures and the impact of consumerism on the environment.
This sculpture is a powerful reminder of the importance of sustainability and the need for cross-cultural understanding. It is a work of art that is both visually stunning and intellectually stimulating.
6. The Construction of the Suez Canal - by Abdul Hadi El-Gazzar. Sold for $1M (2014)
Despite his short career, Abdul Hadi El-Gazzar (1925-1965) was reputedly one of the most prolific members of the Egyptian modern art movement. In this iconic piece, he documents the construction of the Suez Canal, one of the most important yet controversial canals in Egypt. The canal brought trade and industrial growth to Egypt, but it was also the site of political upheaval, such as the Suez Crisis.
The painting was sold for $1 million at Christie’s auction in Dubai in 2014.
These artworks are not only valuable for their monetary worth, but also for their cultural and historical significance. They offer a unique glimpse into the lives and cultures of African people, and they help to preserve and celebrate African artistic traditions.
The rise in the monetary value of African art can be attributed to a number of factors;
increased interest from collectors around the world
the growing prominence of African art institutions,
the rising middle class in Africa and in its Diaspora, and
the increasing visibility of African artists in the global art scene.
If you were on the fence about whether or not collecting African art is a good investment before reading today’s digest, I believe you now have your answer.
Until next digest,
keep collecting.
P.s. If you’re keen on improving your art diction, I’ll highly recommend Art Term Daily newsletter which delivers a new art term everyday, straight to your inbox.
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Question please. Does art have to be old to be valuable?
What singles out a valuable art piece?