Christie’s announces that it will hold its inaugural auction in Mumbai in December 2013, becoming the only international auction house to conduct sales in India. This development follows the recent announcement that Christie’s will hold a sale in Shanghai in September 2013, becoming the first international auction house to operate independently in mainland China.
Christie’s has had a presence in India for almost 20 years, through its office in Mumbai. More recently, it has supported the India Art Fair in New Delhi this January and partnered with the British Council for Homelands, a touring exhibition of contemporary art, to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru. The decision to hold auctions at this time is a reflection of the strong momentum in the domestic art marketplace, the increased international appeal of Indian art and the growing participation of Indian collectors across international sale categories. Christie’s auctions in Mumbai will serve as an introduction to the high standards and connoisseurship associated with Christie’s, the global market leader in Indian art and the world’s leading art business.
