León Gallery set new multiple world records for its Asian Cultural Council Philippines Art Auction 2017.

In partnership with the Asian Cultural Council, the auction was held last Feb. 18 at Makati City.

The proceeds from the sale will go to the Asian Cultural Council’s grant giving program, which will benefit artists for further education and international exposure.

World records

Mauro Malang Santos set a new world record with his 1972 oil on canvas “Red Sky,” which was sold for P7.2 million. It broke León Gallery’s own record for the artist set in June 2016 for “Tres Marias” at P6.42 million.

Another new world record was set for Mark Justiniani. Both his 2005 oil-on-canvas “Book Reader” and 2008 oil-on-board “Untitled” were sold for P1.87 million, surpassing the Sotheby’s record for “Spectator,” which sold for $30,960 in 2013.

Ang Kiukok’s 1989 oil-on-canvas “Rosary Queen” also set another world record, with the painting being sold for P15,625 per square inch.

Also a highly sought-after piece is Annie Cabigting’s 2010 oil on canvas “This Is My Painting If I Paint It. This Is Your Painting If You Paint It (After Reinhardt).” It was sold for P8.18 million, breaking Sotheby’s record set in 2014 for “My Grotesque (After Cordero),” which sold for $109,000.

Lao Lianben’s 1979 acrylic-on-marine board “Under the Influence of Moonlight” was sold for P5.61 million, breaking León Gallery’s own record set in 2015 for “Wood Void” which sold for P5.37 million.

For the furniture, the Batangas 1 Mesa Altar, which was sold for a whopping P16.35 million, also set a new world record. It surpassed the record set by León Gallery in 2015 for the Tinio-Gabadon Cabinet, which was sold for P15.77 million.

Dina Gabito’s oil-on-canvas “Whirling Dervishes,” which features the artist’s signature gray, was sold for P817,600. —CONTRIBUTED