Chapter 314:

Chapter 314:

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314

The Final Showdown (19)

“Thank you for joining us again. We appreciate it.”

Edward Jenner, the Client Relationship Director of Christie’s, the world’s largest auction house, greeted Ko Hun.

The art world was paying close attention to today’s auction, thanks to Ko Hun, the most beloved painter of the present time, entrusting his work to them.

Not only did Christie’s broadcast the auction live, but major media outlets from various countries also reported on the auction situation.

For Christie’s, who had poured their heart and soul into preparing for this Art Basel, it was a more than welcome phenomenon.

“It’s nothing.”

Ko Hun smiled awkwardly.

“No, it’s not. I know you have a negative view of auctions. I’ve heard it before.”

Edward Jenner smiled slyly.

In the past three years, only two works by active artists had recorded higher bids than Ko Hun’s .

Edward Jenner, who was aiming for an executive position through this opportunity, had to secure Ko Hun at all costs.

“I thought about why you would avoid auctions, even though they are the most profitable way. Maybe it’s because they are misused. Am I right?”

“Yes.”

Ko Hun nodded.

It didn’t make sense to avoid auctions because they could make a lot of money.

Ko Hun was wary of his works becoming speculative objects through the auction market.

As buying works became a way to make money rather than appreciate them, rarity and popularity became more important than aesthetics, and he thought that artists would follow that trend.

That’s how the art market became increasingly distant from the public, which was not what Ko Hun wanted.

“But there is no way to stop who will bid for what purpose, at least for now.”

Ko Hun was disappointed.

He didn’t fully trust Edward Jenner, who said he would find a way to lead it in a good direction, but he had a little hope.

“However.”

Edward Jenner handed him a document.

“We have a choice of how to use the proceeds.”

“What is this?”

“This is a press release that says we will use some of the auction proceeds for students. It will be published today.”

Edward Jenner persuaded Ko Hun.

“It may not be the answer you wanted, but I think it’s better to do something than nothing, if you can’t achieve a perfect line. We can’t deny the nature of increasing profits, nor can we infringe on the bidders’ freedom, so we have to do what we can.”

Ko Hun looked over Christie’s statement.

It said that they would share 10% of the auction proceeds with struggling artists and high school students.

10% of the revenue from a big auction with participants like Egon Schiele, Julian Pio, and Ko Hun was not a small amount.

“This might continue if it leads to a good result. But this kind of thing.”

“You mean I have to participate, right?”

Ko Hun got to the point.

“That’s right.”

Edward Jenner nodded.

“Actually, neither Christie’s nor Sotheby’s, nor Phillips have any reason to do this on purpose. They are companies that aim to generate profits.”

“Yes.”

“But they are also in a position where they need to receive good works from artists. It’s a symbiotic relationship. The more people like you who want the auctions to be healthy, the more we have to reflect their voices to some extent.”

Ko Hun agreed with Edward Jenner’s words.

The auction houses had no reason to share their profits.

They moved with the pretext of the voices of the artists who sold their works at high prices.

“It’s hard to change the big flow by moving one side alone. But I think we can move a little bit if we work together.”

Ko Hun looked at Edward Jenner.

It was not the ideal situation he wanted, but he was trustworthy, trying to get the best result within the realistic range.

‘He should be in a high position.’

Ko Hun smiled and reached out his hand.

“Please take good care of me.”

“Of course.”

The two shook hands.

Go Soo-yeol and Bang Tae-ho watched them with satisfaction.

“570,000 dollars. Anyone else? I’ll take the bid. 570,000 dollars. 570,000 dollars. 570,000 dollars. Sold.”

The auction hall was filled with applause.

The third work of the day was sold for a whopping 570,000 dollars.

After being sold for $218,750 at Christie’s New York, Julian Pio set his personal record twice today.

He couldn’t hide his joy as he bumped shoulders with his manager, who accompanied him to the auction where he had put up three of his works, including .

‘This is not good.’

Arsen sensed a bad vibe.

Even though it was the biggest art market, the works of famous artists were sold for more than twice their original prices.

The people who came to the scene were all wealthy, and they were active in bidding.

It was hard to predict how fierce the competition would be for Ko Hun’s new work, which had not been announced yet, but it didn’t seem easy.

Except for , which had recorded an exceptional price.

Since then, Ko Hun had achieved good results at the Whitney Biennale and the Art Nouveau Competition.

He might have come for Egon Schiele, the last work of the auction.

Ko Hun was loved, but he still couldn’t surpass the genius painter of Austria.

‘Then...’

Swede, Norton, and Phillips fought a three-way battle, competing from four million to five million dollars.

‘I’ll wait for them to get tired and drop out.’

Even if they were billionaires who owned billions to tens of billions of dollars, there was a limit to their available capital.

It would vary from person to person, but five million dollars would be close to that level, and it would be a bit nervous.

In such a situation, if a new competitor stepped in, they would feel pressured psychologically.

“I bid five hundred and thirty thousand dollars. Do we have five hundred and thirty thousand dollars?”

Arsen did not hesitate and raised his number plate, judging that it was the right time.

The attention of the scene, which had been shocked, moved, and tense, was drawn to Arsen.

‘Damn. Who is that guy?’

‘Is he planted by Christie? Why now?’

‘...Who is he?’

As the bidders were confused as Arsen expected, the auctioneer who grasped the flow called the price.

“I’ll take it for six million dollars.”

The eyes of the people gathered in the hall were as bright as lanterns.

No matter how much the auctioneer had the right to call the price, it was surprising that he raised it by seven hundred thousand dollars at once.

If he made a mistake, it could be unsold.

But Adam Gladstone was sure.

Ko Hun’s Dallida Square Incident was an event that delivered a message to the world beyond Europe.

He couldn’t trade the Dallida Square that Ko Hun painted with Goseul, Banks, and Idols, so was the only symbol.

There was no way that the symbolic work of a genius painter who would walk a path that no one had ever walked before would stop here.

The collectors would not miss the work that would be recorded in the history of art in one line.

As he predicted, all four bidders raised their number plates.

The chat window of the auction site’s live channel was about to explode.

└Crazyᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ

└Will it go to ten million dollars?

└Art Basel is worth it. Six million dollars is insaneᄏᄏᄏ

└Why am I surprised that Henri is not here?

└Me too ᄏᄏᄏᄏ Why is there no one who came out with their eyes flipped for Hoon’s workᄏᄏ

└Wow, crazy. It goes up to nine million.

The auctioneer saw two number plates.

One was the billionaire Caroline Swede and the other was a stranger he had never seen before.

‘I hope it goes to Ms. Swede.’

Adam Gladstone secretly hoped that Caroline Swede, who had a proven identity, would win the bid.

The stranger looked quite wealthy, but he didn’t seem to have the ability to pay more than ten million dollars.

He hoped that the stranger would raise the price as much as possible, and that Swede’s daughter would take the .

The auctioneer carefully raised the price by one hundred thousand dollars each.

Once, twice, three times, four times.

As the auctioneer expected, both sides raised their number plates without hesitation.

“Do you intend to bid nine hundred and forty thousand dollars?”

The auctioneer asked Arsen.

Arsen did not hesitate at all.

The auctioneer, who was visibly surprised, called the price again.

“I’ll take it for nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

“...”

Caroline Swede, who had been fighting like a war, hesitated for a moment and raised her number plate.

Adam Gladstone, an excellent auctioneer from Christie’s, did not miss that.

‘This must be their limit.’

That was the only hope I had left. That Noshinsa would either give up on the bid or not have enough money to pay for it.

“9.6 million dollars. How about it?”

Adam Gladstone asked earnestly.

Arsene raised his number plate without hesitation and was about to proceed with the next bid, when Adam Gladstone glanced at Caroline Swede’s expression.

She was visibly grinding her teeth and fuming with anger.

“9.65 million dollars, please.”

Adam Gladstone raised the bid once more, and Caroline Swede, who had been glaring at Arsene, turned her head away.

“9.6 million dollars. 9.6 million dollars, anyone?”

There was no one.

Adam Gladstone also asked out of procedure, but he judged that there was no one else who would bid any higher and lifted the auction hammer.

“I will bid. 9.6 million dollars. 9.6 million dollars.”

Just as he was about to utter the last third bid.

The man who was known to have the greatest wealth in the auction hall raised his number plate for the first time.

“10 million dollars.”

The Swiss Art Basel Christie auction house was turned upside down by the words that Baedovin casually spat out.