Welcoming good news for a change. Cameroonian photographer Samuel Fosso, Mozambican painter Bertina Lopes, Zimbabwean painter Richard Mudariki, Tanzanian painter Elias Jengo and Nigerian painter Shina Yussuff have all seen their work sell at a better than the anticipated amount at Sotheby’s during the month of March this year. 
Sotheby’s modern and contemporary African art sale opened online on March 27th just three days after lockdown came into force in the UK. Having to move the sale entirely online at short notice was an easier task for a company with means and resources such as Sotheby’s—a move that has been repeated by Frieze New York and 1-54. 
There were questions over whether or not people would be in the frame of mind for buying art of any kind in light of the pandemic and the shift in financial attitudes. Often in a crisis, the arts are the first to suffer—and this is a crisis like no other.
Art Sales Online
Hannah O’Leary,director and head of modern and contemporary African art at Sotheby’s, explains how they managed to save the auction by putting it online at such short notice. “ Our contemporary African sales are very international; we have bidders from every continent. It’s a slight change of focus, and a few people weren’t always able to view the sales. Many people often don’t view the sales in person and will buy online or over the telephone, therefore the market can still continue.”
Contemporary African Art.

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