Editor’s Note
As Phillips celebrates its 10th anniversary in Asia, the auction house continues to redefine the regional art market from its new West Kowloon headquarters. This year’s program, beginning with a focused selling exhibition on Picasso, underscores its commitment to a dynamic, year-round calendar of events.
West Kowloon Cultural District has become a significant cultural hub in recent years. The international auction house Phillips officially opened its Asian headquarters there in 2023. Since then, it has been hosting numerous exciting auctions and exhibitions year-round, breaking away from the conventional auction schedule. This year marks Phillips’ 10th anniversary in Asia. In March, Phillips will host the “Picasso’s Animal Kingdom” selling exhibition, along with the “Jewels: Hong Kong,” “Limited Editions,” and “New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art & Design” auctions and previews, making it a major highlight of Hong Kong’s art scene in March.
The “Picasso’s Animal Kingdom” selling exhibition, curated by Phillips’ private sales department PhillipsX, focuses on Pablo Picasso’s lifelong passion and profound exploration of animal themes. The exhibition runs from March 13 to April 15.
The exhibition brings together the artist’s ceramic works. One highlight is the 1951 piece “Vase Canard” (Duck Vase). The vessel’s shape evokes a duck but is combined with a woman’s face and hands, perfectly merging animal and human forms. The inspiration for the female face came from the artist’s partner at the time, Françoise Gilot. Picasso’s ceramic works, diverse in style, flourished in the late 1940s and 1950s at the Madoura pottery studio in Vallauris, France, with most featuring animal motifs.
Beyond ceramics, Picasso’s oil paintings also reflect his exploration of animal themes, with even richer and more complex layers. The exhibition includes the 1906 oil painting “Jeune garçon nu à cheval” (Nude Boy on Horseback), a rare creation from the artist’s Rose Period.
Other notable works include the 1921 pencil drawing “Fountain, Woman and Dog,” which witnessed Picasso’s return to a classical style after World War I and was once in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. “Femme au singe” (Woman with Monkey), created in 1954, exemplifies Picasso’s masterful skill with ink and paint on paper, depicting tender interaction between human and animal while exploring themes of playfulness, wisdom, and intimacy. The image of the bull blends classical mythology with the artist’s Spanish tradition. The 1957 bronze sculpture “Toro” (Bull) is one of two editions, using abstract and simplified lines to represent the powerful, masculine form of a bull through the shaping and reworking of raw material.
“Picasso’s Animal Kingdom” celebrates the eternal significance of animals in Picasso’s oeuvre, bringing together various media from his artistic practice and condensing his lifelong fascination with the animal theme throughout his career.
INFO: “Picasso’s Animal Kingdom” Selling Exhibition
Details: March 13-30, 11am-7pm; April 1-15, 10am-6pm (Closed March 31 & April 4)
Location: Phillips Asia Headquarters
During Hong Kong Art Week in March, Phillips will curate three exciting auctions: “Jewels: Hong Kong,” “Limited Editions,” and “New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art & Design,” held on March 27, 28, and 29 respectively.
The “Jewels: Hong Kong” auction on March 27 brings together a variety of precious gemstones, led by ‘Burmese’ natural ruby jewelry. Rubies symbolize power, wealth, and health and are considered auspicious in Asian cultures, with Burmese rubies long favored by collectors for their vivid ‘pigeon’s blood’ red color. Auction highlights include a ‘Burmese’ natural ruby and diamond bracelet with rubies totaling approximately 33.66 carats, unheated, with bright, transparent crystals and rich, vibrant color. Similarly, a ‘Burmese’ natural ruby and diamond necklace features rubies totaling approximately 38.80 carats, unheated, arranged in a unique geometric design where the pigeon’s blood red gems complement each other, showcasing distinctive artistry. A pair of ‘Burmese’ natural ruby and diamond earrings also demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship.
Beyond rubies, Burma is also an important source of top-quality sapphires. Burmese sapphires are renowned for their royal blue hue, symbolizing nobility and elegance. This season presents a ‘Burmese’ natural 40.52-carat sapphire and diamond bracelet and a pair of fine 9.87 and 8.59-carat ‘Burmese’ natural sapphire and diamond earrings, with the sapphires also unheated, which are sure to be bidding targets.
Additionally, the jewelry experts have specially sourced fine ‘Colombian’ natural emeralds, including a 13.65-carat ‘Colombian’ natural emerald and diamond ring and a ‘Colombian’ natural emerald and diamond bracelet with emeralds totaling 16.51 carats, untreated for clarity. Beyond the mentioned precious stones, a series of rare fancy-colored diamonds, top-quality jadeite, and signed brand jewelry will also appear at the auction, which jewelry enthusiasts should not miss.
INFO: “Jewels: Hong Kong”
Auction: March 27
Preview: March 21-27, 11am-7pm
Following on March 28, Phillips will hold its first “Limited Editions” auction in Hong Kong. In recent years, global market demand for limited edition prints has continued to heat up, representing a vibrant and evolving area of collecting that provides access to artists from many eras, movements, and genres. An increasing number of savvy collectors are beginning to appreciate the exquisite quality and rarity of limited edition prints.
This auction will feature works by Damien Hirst, KAWS, Banksy, David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara, and surrealist master Salvador Dalí, among others. The auction is led by Damien Hirst’s “Virtue (H9),” inspired by the Japanese samurai spirit. Hirst’s Mickey and Minnie Mouse works, with their bright colors and cute shapes, are also believed to be highly popular among young collectors.
INFO: “Limited Editions”
Auction: March 28
Preview: March 21-28, 11am-7pm
“New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art & Design” will conclude the month’s auctions on March 29. For a long time, Phillips’ “NEW NOW” auction series has been regarded as a market bellwether, providing a reference for collectors seeking works by emerging artists gaining international recognition. This Hong Kong auction also brings a series of sought-after works by renowned contemporary artists and emerging creators, including Ayako Rokkaku, Issy Wood, George Condo, Mel Bochner, Heidi Lee, and Jansson Stegner, alongside masterpieces by 20th-century and contemporary design masters.
Auction highlights include a triptych by Ayako Rokkaku depicting her iconic wide-eyed, innocent girls in her classic fantastical style, filled with vibrant colors and playful energy, showcasing the artist’s pioneering technique of applying paint by hand. The “Mexique” cabinet by 20th-century pioneer designer Charlotte Perriand evokes Piet Mondrian’s classic geometric forms and color combinations, perfectly blending art and functional furniture. This season, Phillips is honored to be the auction partner for the 2025 “Sovereign Asian Art Prize” and will present works by 30 shortlisted Asian artists in the New Now auction. Proceeds will be donated to the “Make It Better” initiative established by the Sovereign Art Foundation, aimed at supporting underprivileged children in Hong Kong.
Prior to the auctions, Phillips will hold previews for all three auctions at its Asia Headquarters in the West Kowloon Cultural District starting from the 21st, becoming a highlight project for Hong Kong art in March.
INFO: “New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art & Design”
Auction: March 29
Preview: March 21-29, 11am-7pm
Location: Phillips Asia Headquarters, G/F, 1/F & 3/F, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Building, 8 Austin Road West, West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Website: phillips.com