Connect with us

Blockchain

Artprice: The 10 Top-selling Artworks Created After the 2008 Financial Crisis

Published

on

Reading Time: 4 minutes

 

The year 2008 marked a turning point for the Art Market and for the global economy as a whole. In retrospect, Sotheby’s 15 September 2008 sale Beautiful Inside My Head Forever dedicated to works by Damien Hirst – just hours before the collapse of Lehman Brothers Bank and its repercussions on art sales throughout the world – now looks like the swan song of a different era.

However, as thierry Ehrmann, Founder/CEO of Artprice tells us, “The impact of the financial crisis did not affect artistic creation; the significant changes we have seen since 2008 are essentially due to changes within the internal structure of the Art Market.

“The main development is of course the growth of the Chinese market, but we have also seen the growth of Art as a financial investment. Negative or near-zero interest rates, which undermine the value of savings, have increasingly pushed capital towards alternative investments… and Art generates very attractive returns. The large number of artworks created over the last ten years that have already sold in public auctions prove that Contemporary Art represents a sensational market.”

Global Fine Art auction turnover
[https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/04/auction-turnover.png]

Advertisement

Artprice presents 10 artists who have already marked the secondary market with works created after the 2008 financial crisis.

1. Cui Ruzhuo (b. 1944): The Grand Snowing Mountains (2013)

$39,577,000 – 4 April 2016, Poly Auction, Hong Kong

The Chinese painter Cui Ruzhuo is one of the most successful living artists in the Art Market, on a par with Gerhard Richter and David Hockney. However, unlike the latter two, his best works – those for which demand is the strongest – are his most recent. The result hammered for a mountain-scene panorama measuring over 8 meters wide and 3 meters high – The Grand Snowing Mountains (2013) – illustrates the immense success of this new giant of Chinese painting who remains far too unknown in the West.

2. Jeff Koons (b. 1955): Popeye (2009/11)

Advertisement

$28,165,000 – 14 May 2014, Sotheby’s, New York

A month before his retrospective began at the Whitney Museum (27 June 27 – 19 October 2014), the Prince of Kitsch Jeff Koons saw his Popeye sculpture (2009/11) become the subject of furious bidding at an evening sale at Sotheby’s New York. The sculpture,  the first in a series of three, was to be one of the highlights of the Jeff Koons exhibition at the Whitney Museum, and was also shown at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Bilbao Guggenheim.

3. Mark Grotjahn (b. 1968): Untitled (S III Released to France Face 43.14) (2011)

$16,767,500 – 17 May 2017, Christie’s, New York

Represented by the Gagosian Gallery since 2008, the American painter Mark Grothjahn saw his prices rise gradually until 2017. Then, in the space of just twelve months, his price index shot up 75%… before falling back again the following year. In 2018, another of his large format paintings, Untitled (Black over Red Orange “Mean as a Snake” Face 842)(2010), fetched $7,073,000.

Advertisement

4. Gerhard Richter (b. 1932): Abstraktes Bild (2009)

$9,093,300 – 5 March 2019, Sotheby’s, London

Large abstract paintings by Gerhard Richter are among the most expensive artworks in the world. In February 2015Abstraktes bild (1986) fetched over $46 million setting a sensational record for Germany’s Art Market leader. The sale of Abstraktes Bild (2009) shows that collectors are increasingly valuing his recent production, which could be as valuable as his earlier works (1965 – 1990) in the long run.

5. Rudolf Stingel (b. 1956): Untitled (2012)

$7,939,000 – 8 March 2018Phillips London

Advertisement

Rudolf Stingel is also supported Larry Gagosian and has also greatly benefited from the dealer’s international power and standing. In 2015, the Gagosian presented Stingel’s work in Asia for the first time with a series of paintings Untitled(2012) that reproduced wall fragments from his double exhibition at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art and the Whitney Museum in New York in 2007. During those shows, visitors were invited to write inscriptions of all kinds on the walls of the two prestigious museums. Stingel reproduced certain details using electro-formed copper which he subsequently covered with gold.

6. Jin Shangyi (b. 1934): Peony Pavilion (2013)

$7,829,400 – 31 May 2014China Guardian, Canton

Chinese painter Jin Shangyi is a master oil painter. Known for his portraits (including female nudes in the late 1980s), he is one of the most original Chinese artists of his generation. His work was much in demand in 2013, as shown by the value of his 1999 canvas Monk Painter Kun Can:

– $2,088,500, 13 May 2007 – China GuardianBeijing

Advertisement

– $6,326,500, 1 June 2013 – Poly Auction, Beijing

– $4,436,500, 16 June 2018 – China GuardianBeijing

7. Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929): Pumpkin (TWPOT) (2010)

$6,937,500 – 1 April 2019, Sotheby’s, Hong Kong

She is the most successful female artist on the global Art Market, all periods of creation combined. The 707 works by Yayoi Kusama auctioned around the world in 2018 generated $103 million, covering more than sixty years of artistic creation from the early 1950s to canvases painted in the past 5 years, which are already being resold.

Advertisement

8. Adrian Ghenie (b. 1977): Boogeyman (2010)

$6,354,000 – 5 October 2018, Sotheby’s, London

The youngest artist in this ranking and the figurehead of new European expressionism, the Romanian painter Adrian Ghenie joined the Pace Gallery in 2013 and his work has already been purchased by some of the world’s leading Contemporary Art museums, including the Centre Georges Pompidou. Both tenebrous and colorful, his paintings do not hide the influence of Van Gogh and Francis Bacon, sometimes with quite direct references.

9. George Condo (b. 1957): Nude and forms (2014)

$6,162,500 – 17 May 2018, Christie’s, New York

Advertisement

In 2018, George Condo conquered the world. With more than $55 million in auction turnover between New York (56%), London (30%) and Hong Kong (12%), Condo is one of the top 50 most successful artists of all time. His market is now more active than that of Jasper Johns or Frank Stella.

10. Mark Tansey (b. 1949): Hedge (2011)

$5,653,000 – 14 May 2015, Phillips, New York

Although Mark Tansey’s works rarely appear at auction (a total of just 103 lots over the last 30 years), demand is ever-stronger for his work. Today his market is entirely divided between New York (90%) and London (10%), but he is very likely to be sold in Asia soon.

 

Advertisement

SOURCE Artprice.com

Blockchain

Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 5, 2025 – Arkham, Blockchair, Worldcoin, Maldives

Published

on

blocks-&-headlines:-today-in-blockchain-–-may-5,-2025-–-arkham,-blockchair,-worldcoin,-maldives

 

In an ecosystem defined by perpetual innovation and high-stakes regulatory scrutiny, the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry never pauses. Today’s briefing—“Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 5, 2025 – Arkham, Blockchair, Worldcoin, Maldives”—dives into five compelling stories shaping the narrative: a transformative $9 billion blockchain hub in the Maldives; Sam Altman’s Worldcoin orbs arriving stateside; AI‑enhanced onchain visibility via Arkham and Blockchair; the Blockchain Association’s plea for flexible SEC oversight; and Telegram’s blockchain‑inspired encryption for massive group calls.

Together, these developments spotlight five interlocking themes: diversification of traditionally tourism‑dependent economies, identity and trust models in Web3, the fusion of AI with onchain data, the evolving policy landscape, and privacy‑centric encryption. Across these stories, recurring SEO keywords—blockchain, cryptocurrency, Web3, DeFi, NFTs, tokenization, decentralized identity, onchain analytics, regulation, and privacy—underscore the connective tissue binding today’s headlines.


1. $9 Billion Blockchain Hub on Track to Transform Maldives

Source: U.Today

Advertisement

The Maldives, an archipelagic nation whose economy is heavily tethered to tourism (approximately 30 % of GDP) and fishing (around 10 %), is confronting mounting fiscal challenges: public debt has breached national GDP levels (circa $7 billion), and deficits threaten sovereign stability. In a strategic pivot, Maldivian authorities signed a joint venture with MBS Global Investments—a $14 billion UAE family office—earmarking an $8.8 billion investment in a cutting‑edge blockchain hub. This initiative aims to catalyze a 200 % GDP surge within four years, spawning thousands of jobs and potentially averting sovereign default.

On the surface, relocating blockchain infrastructure to paradise may seem incongruous. Yet by repurposing the country’s geographically dispersed islands into a decentralized Web3 nexus, the Maldives could host data centers powered by renewable oceanic energy, attract DeFi startups, and incubate NFT marketplaces catering to affluent tourists. This diversification blueprint underscores a broader trend: small economies leveraging blockchain to transcend traditional growth constraints. However, critical questions loom—regulatory clarity, environmental footprint, and cybersecurity resilience will determine whether this hub becomes a scalable model or a stranded asset.

Implication: If executed judiciously, the Maldives’ blockchain hub could set a precedent for emerging economies seeking to harness decentralized infrastructure. But success hinges on transparent governance, sustainable energy sourcing, and robust legal frameworks.


2. Altman’s Eyeball‑Scanning Worldcoin Orbs Land in the U.S.

Source: The Register

On May 1, six Worldcoin “Orb” retail locations opened across the United States—Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco—offering biometric iris scans in exchange for WLD crypto tokens. Co‑founded by Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO), Alex Blania, and Max Novendstern, Tools for Humanity champions World ID, a blockchain‑based proof‑of‑personhood system designed to authenticate humans versus bots or AI‑generated avatars. Users who scan their irises receive roughly $16 in WLD, enabling them to later verify identity on participating platforms.

Advertisement

While touted as a breakthrough in decentralized identity, the initiative has incited privacy regulators worldwide: South Korea fined the project over $800,000, Hong Kong prohibited operations, and legal probes are active in Germany, Kenya, and Spain. Yet Worldcoin maintains that biometric data is encrypted on-device and purged post‑scan, and with 26 million users globally (12 million scanned), the network seeks to deploy 7,500 Orbs in the U.S. by year’s end.

Opinion: Worldcoin’s retail push exemplifies the friction between innovative identity solutions and privacy norms. The on‑chain distribution of WLD tokens may democratize crypto access, but it also risks normalizing biometric collection without exhaustive regulatory guardrails. The debate between security and civil liberties intensifies as Web3 projects blur lines between voluntary onboarding and pervasive surveillance.


3. AI and Blockchain Explorers ‘Arkham’ & ‘Blockchair’ Reshape Onchain Visibility

Source: Bitcoin News

Blockchain explorers have evolved from static transaction trackers to dynamic investigative platforms, especially with generative AI integration. Two frontrunners—Arkham Intelligence and Blockchair—are pioneering tools to render cryptographic ledgers comprehensible. Arkham’s AI correlates onchain flows with off‑chain entities, enabling analysts to dissect a Binance transaction involving 0.3065 BNB routed through WBNB and Pancakeswap in seconds. Blockchair’s AI assistant, Cuborg, fields natural‑language queries (e.g., “Which Bitcoin address dormant since 2017 just moved funds at block 895,197?”), surfacing actionable intelligence with remarkable speed.

The convergence of machine learning and onchain analytics promises unprecedented transparency for DeFi protocols, NFT markets, and compliance teams. Yet this visibility shift also rekindles the age‑old privacy dilemma: as attribution sharpens, users may flee to privacy coins (e.g., Monero, Zcash) or sophisticated mixers, fracturing onchain provenance. Thus, the community must strike a balance—leveraging AI for due diligence without undermining pseudonymity, a bedrock of decentralization.

Advertisement

Takeaway: Enhanced onchain visibility emboldens regulators and institutional custodians to adopt crypto, but it simultaneously pressures privacy advocates to innovate. The trajectory of DeFi scalability and AML compliance will pivot on how explorers calibrate the transparency‑privacy spectrum.


4. Blockchain Association Urges SEC to Adopt Flexible Crypto Regulation

Source: The Block Binance

On May 2, the Blockchain Association—representing heavyweights such as Coinbase, Ripple, and Uniswap Labs—submitted formal comments urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to embrace an “incremental, flexible approach” under new Chair Paul S. Atkins. The association argued that equity‑style rule frameworks ill‑fit blockchain’s decentralized architecture, and that overly restrictive policies risk ceding global leadership in Web3 innovation. Key recommendations included:

  • Modernizing “best execution” by prioritizing diligence over prescriptive equity norms.

  • Leveraging public exchange APIs for oversight, eschewing bulk personal data collection.

  • Convening public‑private roundtables to iteratively refine tokenization guidelines.

As the SEC grapples with litigation against major crypto firms, the association’s plea underscores a broader policy shift—from adversarial enforcement to collaborative rulemaking. If embraced, this could catalyze a regulatory renaissance, aligning U.S. competitiveness with nascent markets such as the EU’s MiCA and Singapore’s digital asset frameworks.

Analysis: A flexible U.S. regime could anchor global capital flows in American markets. However, in the near term, ambiguity may persist, prompting projects to seek out friendlier jurisdictions. The evolution of DeFi, tokenized securities, and NFT financialization hinges on whether the SEC transitions from litigation‑driven oversight to principles‑based governance.

Advertisement

5. Telegram’s Blockchain‑Inspired Encryption Empowers Massive Group Calls

Source: CCN.com

Messaging titan Telegram has rolled out a major security upgrade: blockchain‑inspired encryption for voice and video group calls, scaling to tens of thousands of participants. Published May 5, 2025, the update employs a distributed architecture reminiscent of blockchain’s consensus model, paired with end‑to‑end encryption and a novel four‑emoji verification system. Users can join calls via links, QR codes, or invites, accommodating up to 200 guests in peer‑to‑peer calls and vastly more in server‑mediated group sessions.

This enhancement cements Telegram’s Web3 orientation—from in‑app NFT galleries to integrated crypto wallets and June’s Grok AI chatbot. By emphasizing decentralized encryption, Telegram seeks to differentiate itself from legacy platforms and curry favor with privacy‑minded Web3 users. The $100,000 unclaimed bounty for encryption breaches further testifies to the platform’s confidence.

Perspective: As social channels become conduits for DAO assemblies, token launches, and remote governance, Telegram’s upgrade anticipates Web3 ’s communal demands. Secure, large‑scale calls could host multichain hackathons, decentralized grant panels, and NFT minting drop parties—ushering in an era where encrypted communications seamlessly integrate with onchain action.


Conclusion: Charting Tomorrow’s Web3 Horizon

Today’s headlines—from island‑wide blockchain sanctuaries to AI‑powered explorers, from biometric orbs to regulatory overtures and encrypted megacalls—illustrate the multifaceted momentum driving blockchain and crypto into mainstream orbit. Key takeaways include:

Advertisement
  1. Economic Diversification via Blockchain: Smaller nations can pivot from tourism to tech‑led growth, provided they embed sustainability and legal clarity.

  2. Identity & Privacy Trade‑Offs: Worldcoin’s iris scans provoke essential dialogue on biometric ethics versus Sybil‑resistance in decentralized networks.

  3. AI‑Driven Transparency: Arkham and Blockchair spotlight the accelerating fusion of AI and onchain analytics, demanding new privacy paradigms.

  4. Adaptive Regulation: The Blockchain Association’s SEC proposal signals burgeoning alignment between policymakers and innovators—critical for U.S. leadership.

  5. Web3‑First Infrastructure: Telegram’s encryption upgrade underscores the imperative for platforms to bake decentralized security into every layer.

As the industry hurtles forward, stakeholders must navigate these cross‑currents with pragmatic vision—embracing decentralization, protecting user sovereignty, and fostering constructive policy engagement. Tomorrow’s decentralized economy may hinge as much on robust encryption and AI transparency tools as on visionary regulation and sustainable infrastructure projects.

 

The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 5, 2025 – Arkham, Blockchair, Worldcoin, Maldives appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.

Continue Reading

Blockchain

Valueex (VUEE) Exchange Opens IEO Window, Leading New Opportunities in Global Blockchain Investment

Published

on

valueex-(vuee)-exchange-opens-ieo-window,-leading-new-opportunities-in-global-blockchain-investment
Continue Reading

Blockchain

UnitedStaking.com Launches Advanced Crypto Staking Platform with Global Reach and Real-World Impact

Published

on

unitedstaking.com-launches-advanced-crypto-staking-platform-with-global-reach-and-real-world-impact

UnitedStaking

Continue Reading
Advertisement
 title=

Latest News

Recent Listings

  • Global Payout, Inc.

    Since the Company’s inception in 2009, Global Payout, Inc. has been a leading provider of compreh...

  • MTrac Tech Corp.

    MTrac Tech Corporation, a Nevada Corporation, is a privately held, wholly owned subsidiary of Glo...

  • Net1

    Net1 is a leading provider of transaction processing services, financial inclusion products ...

  • uBUCK Technologies SEZC

    Based in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, uBUCK Tech is a fintech enterprise that specializes in digit...

  • LiteLink Technologies Inc.

      LiteLink is a major player in developing world-class enterprise platforms that utilize ar...

  • Good Gamer Corp.

      Good Gamer Corp. is a privately-held technology company focusing on gamers and streamers....

  • BitPay

      Founded in 2011, BitPay pioneered blockchain payment processing with the mission of trans...

  • About Net1

      Net1 is a leading provider of transaction processing services, financial inclusion produc...

  • Blockchain Foundry Inc.

    Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Blockchain Foundry (CSE:BCFN)(FWB:8BF)(OTC:BLFDF) is a global b...

  • Sixgill

    Sixgill provides a full suite of universal data automation and authenticity products and services...

Trending on TBE