Christie’s in Hong Kong: evening sale totals $92.61 million, Atsushi Kaga work sells 284% above estimate

Christie’s 20th/21st Century Evening Sale in Hong Kong, held on September 29, 2026, achieved a total of $92.61 million, as HENI reports — a result that confirms the resilience of the Asian art market.

The top lots were dominated by big names: “Ancient Scientist” (1984) by Jean-Michel Basquiat, estimated at $7.1–9.7 million; “A-Pumpkin (YHP)” (2011) by Yayoi Kusama, estimated at $6.1–8.7 million, which made its auction debut — the first major Kusama sale since her death in August of this year; and “Voie lactée – 09.11.56” (1956) by Zao Wou-Ki, estimated at $5.7–9.6 million, according to The Art Newspaper.

The surprise of the evening came from the Japanese artist Atsushi Kaga: his work “The Solace of the Cats” (2023) sold for $293,700 — 284% above the initial estimate, according to HENI.

The sale also included other important debuts, among them “Automne” by Chu Teh-Chun, “Blue Sea” by Liu Ye, a red abstract by Gerhard Richter, “Jeune femme au canapé” by Henri Matisse, “L’Assiette bleue” by Paul Cézanne (its first time at auction in Hong Kong) and an atmospheric landscape by Peter Paul Rubens that came to auction for the first time in more than 200 years.