Kim Whanki (1913–1974), a leading figure in Korean abstract painting, will have his monumental work 19-VI-71 #206 offered at Christie’s New York on November 17, as part of the 20th Century Evening Sale. This marks the first time a Korean artwork has been included in Christie’s 20th Century Evening Sale in New York, drawing exceptional attention from both Korean and international art circles.


 
Estimated KRW 10.6–14.2 billion (USD 7.5–10 million) — Sharing the Stage with Picasso and Hockney

Christie’s has set the estimate for the painting at KRW 10.6–14.2 billion (USD 7.5–10 million).

This estimate places 19-VI-71 #206 near the top of the artist’s market. It may rival the record of Universe 5-IV-71 #200, sold for KRW 13.1 billion (approximately USD 10 million) at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2019.
 
The upcoming sale features works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and David Hockney, positioning Kim Whanki’s painting among the defining masters of 20th-century art.
 


Art Historical Context in Korean Art

Kim’s late ‘dot paintings’ visualize a philosophy rooted in the “dissolution of material form to recover the spirit.” His work synthesizes Korean sensibility with the language of Western abstraction.
 
The blue dots are not mere patterns—they function as a meditative vocabulary, reflecting contemplation of time, space, and existence. During the early 1970s in New York, Kim fused Eastern metaphysics with Western minimalism, constructing the world anew through the dot. 19-VI-71 #206 stands at the apex of this artistic achievement.
 
 
 
Cosmic Meditation in Blue — A Masterpiece from the Artist’s New York Period

19-VI-71 #206 is one of the largest canvases from Kim’s New York ‘Dot Painting’ series. Measuring 254 × 203 cm, the surface is filled with dense constellations of blue and emerald dots. A slow, radiating movement from the center outward creates a spatial depth akin to gazing into the universe.
 
On the reverse, the inscription “19-VI-71 #206 Whanki New York” confirms the work’s origin in his most refined and spiritually focused period. The painting was previously held in the collection of Gallery Hyundai in Seoul.
 
 
 
Significance and Market Outlook for Korean Art

The significance of this auction extends far beyond price. The work’s appearance in Christie’s New York Evening Sale signals a historic shift in how Korean modern art is positioned on the global stage.
 
While Korean artists have largely circulated within markets in Hong Kong and Seoul, the entry of 19-VI-71 #206 into New York — the Main Market of global art — demonstrates a new phase in Korea’s cultural visibility and valuation.
 
Even if the final price lands below estimate, the mere inclusion of this work marks a symbolic recognition of Korean art within the narrative of global art history. A strong result, however, could catalyze broader international attention toward Korean modern and postwar abstraction and influence future institutional and market trajectories.

References

• CHRISTIE'S PRESS CENTRE