Steve Wynn nabbed one of Jeff Koons’ ‘Popeye’ sculptures for a cool $28 million, after placing the highest bid at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction last week.
An avid art collector, the casino mogul reportedly plans to install the 2,000-pound Popeye – immortalized in his signature macho man pose, clutching a can of spinach – at Wynn’s Las Vegas casino.
According to Alexander Rotter, co-head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s, “Popeye represents the beginning and the end of pop art.”
Koons’ gleaming, 6.5-foot tall rendition of the beloved cartoon character is a three-of-a-kind piece thoughtfully crafted by Koons – an indisputable master of creating oversized sculptural works, who has created an assortment of sculptures, from giant balloon dogs, to toy trains and tulips.
Believe it or not, Wynn’s winning bid is not the highest price one has ever paid for one of Koon’s pieces. Last fall, the legendary artist’s “Balloon Dog” became the most expensive work ever sold by a living artist when it was sold for $58 million at a Christie’s auction.
Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s and details courtesy of cnbc.com.
