Christie’s auction on Monday, a bold and risky experiment titled “If I Live I’ll See You Tuesday,” set 16 world auction records and exceeded even the most optimistic expectations by raising $134.6 million. This Manhattan sale was not only noteworthy for what sold but for how the sale transpired.
Christie’s deployed tools of mass marketing typically reserved for the younger audience— from skateboarder Chris Martin and indie rock band Awolnation to Instagram and YouTube. The result was buzz that extended far beyond the traditional art world, including mentions in Adweek and being featured on skateboarding sites.
Loic Gouzer, the company’s charismatic contemporary art expert promoted the show through his personal Instagram account and a YouTube video that featured Martin skateboarding with an air of recklessness around the exhibit. For the younger generation of art investors, who have often made their billions in a startup environment, the idea of acquiring an artist early has particular appeal. “Even if they sell for millions of dollars, these pieces are worth a fraction of what they’ll be worth later on,” says Gouzer.
(via)