Seventy-two lots of contemporary art works will be offered at Sotheby's Spring 2005 Auction on May 1, announced Sotheby Hong Kong on Monday.

The ark works include photography, oil paintings, sculptures and decorative installations by contemporary artists. A special selection of Korean contemporary art, with rising popularity in the art market, will also be included.

Paintings by Zhao Wuji, one of the pioneers of Chinese contemporary art, are highly sought after by collectors worldwide,especially works from the 1950s to 1960s.

Six works by Zhao are offered in this auction, including a sketch and oil works from his peak period, showcasing a strong representation. Among those is "11.1.1959," an oil painting in 1959 estimated at 5 million HK dollars (about 640,000 US dollars).

Oil works painted from the 1970s to 1980s by Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong will also be offered in the sale. "Banyan Tree in Xishuangbanna," estimated at 900,000 to 1,200,000 HK dollars (about 115,000 to US dollars), and "Zhoushan Harbor", estimated at 800,000 to 1,200,000 HK dollars (about 102,500 to 154,000 US dollars), will also be shown at the auction.

As Korean contemporary art is receiving an increasing attention in the international art market, works by Korean artists such as "Untitled" and "A La Mode series" will also be put up at the auction.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2005)