Peter Lik Print Sells for $6.5 Million, Shattering Record for Most Expensive Photo
According to Petapixel:
Australian landscape photographer Peter Lik has taken the crown for most expensive photo ever sold. “Phantom,” the picture shown above, was sold to a private collector for a staggering $6.5 million. The record was previously held by Andreas Gursky’s “Rhein II”, which sold for $4.3 million back in 2011.
via Peter Lik Print Sells for $6.5 Million, Shattering Record for Most Expensive Photo.
The official press release reads:
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Today, LIK USA™ announced the sale of the most expensive photograph in history by world-renowned fine art photographer, Peter Lik. “Phantom” sold to a private collector for an unprecedented $6.5 million. The purchase also included Lik’s masterworks “Illusion” for $2.4 million and “Eternal Moods” for $1.1 million. With this $10 million sale, Lik now holds four of the top 20 spots for most expensive photographs ever sold. He already has a position in the ranking with a previous $1 million sale of famed image, “One.”
“The purpose of all my photos is to capture the power of nature and convey it in a way that inspires someone to feel passionate and connected to the image,” said award-winning fine art photographer Peter Lik.
“Phantom” and “Eternal Moods” are black and white representations of Lik’s iconic images “Ghost” and “Eternal Beauty.” Lik is known for his artistic approach to landscape photography and capturing Mother Nature’s vibrant colors. His use of black and white imagery is a rare and compelling departure from his normal style.
“Certain textures and contours found in nature lend themselves beautifully to black and white photography,” said Lik. “The intensity of contrasting light and dark spaces was surprising, but made for some of the most powerful images I’ve ever created.”
The private buyer is represented by Joshua Roth of the Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro, LLP firm, 10250 Constellation Blvd., 19th Floor, Los Angeles, Calif. 90067, who indicated his client preferred not to be publicly identified for security and privacy reasons. Peter Lik and LIK USA™ are represented by their attorney, Mark G. Tratos of Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
“It is noteworthy that the sales of these photographic works denote another milestone in the development of fine art photography, as well as a new benchmark for the value of Peter Lik works,” said Tratos.
These sales may be confirmed through the buyer’s counsel, Joshua Roth.
“Our client is a long-time collector of Lik’s works and is delighted to add these one-of-a-kind photographs to his impressive collection,” said Roth.
Jonathan Jones of The Guardian didn’t care for it much: “The $6.5m canyon: it’s the most expensive photograph ever – but it’s like a hackneyed poster in a posh hotel“. Interestingly The Guardian’s Sean O’Hagen chose to disagree with his colleague in a follow-up article: Photography is art and always will be.
While I don’t agree with Jones’s comments about photography not being art (I thought that debate closed some time ago) I have some sympathy with some of his other thoughts. Can any photograph really be worth $6.5 million? Particularly one like this. It’s a nice picture, but doesn’t really seem to be that special. Still I suppose the fine art market works according to its own rules and if someone wishes to spend $6.5 million on something like this who am I to say that they shouldn’t.