Art Auctions Kickoff

Sotheby's kicked off a $147 million series of art auctions with a charity sale for London's Whitechapel Art Gallery last night in a room packed with Frieze Art Fair visitors, dealers and art advisers. The sale of some 62 art works donated by artists including Peter Doig, Tony Cragg and Damien Hirst raised 2.8 million pounds ($5.2 million), beating a top estimate of 2.3 million pounds. The money will go into an investment fund being created for art and educational projects, said Whitechapel Director Iwona Blazwick. Seven lots didn't sell and Hirst's spot painting went below its high estimate in the room filled with more than 400 people. For the full story - click the title Irish Art