Via Margaret Carrigan in artnet.com: Works by René Magritte, Fernando Botero, and Refik Anadol will headline Sotheby’s debut sales event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Featuring around 100 lots, the two-part auction on February 8 will be held at Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and include works by canonical artists from the West and pioneering Arab artists, as well as luxury items such as jewelry and watches, handbags, and sports memorabilia. The sale marks the first international auction in the kingdom’s history, according to the auction house. It will be a test of the strength of the Gulf art market amid increasing investment in the region. “Many of the artists that we are bringing have never been exhibited in Saudi before,” said Ashkan Baghestani, the Sotheby’s specialist heading up the sale, explaining that the house wants “to show a new audience what Sotheby’s can offer, giving a taste of the various fields and artists we represent at auction, and giving them exposure on a fresh and exciting platform.”
