Summer Art & Wine Auctions, November 2025

William Kentridge, Head (Orange), Sold for R1,115,000 

Aspire Art returned to Cape Town for the grand finale live auction of 2025. The Modern & Contemporary Art Day and Evening Sales, held on 27 November, delivered results above expectations, ending the year on a high note and signalling continued strength, momentum, and confidence in the art market both locally and internationally.

The auctions presented several specially curated collections and featured 105 carefully selected artworks by leading South African, African and international artists from the modern and contemporary periods.

In the Evening Sale, the top lot was an edition of William Kentridge’s large-scale Head (Orange), which sold for R1,115,000 to a new first-time buyer at Aspire. This was only the second time an edition of this work had been offered in South Africa. With only 15 editions ever produced, Head (Orange) has appeared at auction just eight times since 2011.

Georgina Gratrix’s luscious impasto still life Lawley Rd Flowers (2015) was another standout, achieving R 613,250. This result marks the highest price for the artist at auction worldwide, the second and third positions also held by Aspire with An Offering (2019), sold for R600 000 in 2024, and I Love You All the Time, sold for R591 760 in 2018.

LEFT: Georgina Gratrix, Lawley Rd Flowers, Sold for: R613,250 

RIGHT: Peter Clarke, The Scowl, Sold for: R462,100

Also attracting significant attention was The Scowl by beloved Cape artist Peter Clarke, which sold for R462,100. Painted in 1973, the work is believed to be his only true symbolic self-portrait.

A notable highlight was a 1981 watercolour by renowned Indian Modernist Maqbool Fida Husain. Marking the artist’s South African auction debut, the work achieved R415,890, well above the high estimate.

Maqbool Fida Husain, Figures, 1981, Sold for R415,890 

A spectacular life-size installation of seven bronze Kudus charging through water, by the sculptor Keith Calder sold for R462,100. Originally from De Beers Consolidated Mines, this iconic work was an integral part of the De Beers cornerstone campus. Legend has it that Mr Oppenheimer wanted to feel as if he was deep in the bush, while sitting in his Johannesburg office – an extraordinary piece that delivered just that.

Keith Calder, Herd of 7 Life Size Kudus Running Through Water, 1992, Sold for R462,100 

Notably, 68% of registered bidders for the Evening Sale were based in South Africa, evidence of a vibrant and committed local collector community. Such strong domestic participation highlights sustained trust in the market and a growing demand for exceptional art. International bidding remained robust, with collectors joining from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Monaco, Singapore, India, and the United States, underscoring Aspire’s expanding global reach and appeal.

We remain dedicated to responsible art trading, upholding strict and true valuation standards and offering thoughtfully selected works to a discerning market.

TOP LOTS & HIGHLIGHTS

VIEW DAY SALE RESULTS

VIEW EVENING SALE RESULTS

A Toast to Vintage Victory

Sadie Family, Columella, 2018 and 2020, Sold for R15,242.50

The Collector’s Cellar Online Wine Auction, presented in partnership with RWC, showcased a world-class selection of fine and rare wines drawn from South Africa’s most distinguished regions, complemented by notable international icons.

Local collectors responded with marked enthusiasm for coveted estates and standout vintages.