Daily Management Review

Art Market Overview: Oscar Murillo's Comeback


05/12/2022


The Colombian painter is back in the market's good graces, after a resounding debut was followed by a dramatic decline in his performance at auction.



by Vanessa Schmitz-Grucker

"Ourself behind Ourself, Concealed", a solo show on Murillo lasting until June 4.
"Ourself behind Ourself, Concealed", a solo show on Murillo lasting until June 4.
After a dazzling debut in the auction room in 2013, marked by a record sale of $400,000 with Phillips New York for the 2011 Untitled (Drawings off the Wall)—ten times its high estimate—, the Colombian artist Oscar Murillo (b. 1986) saw his price index plummet. But though it fell by 60%, it has now returned to its 2015 level according to Artprice. Because of this spectacular decline, his absolute increase in value is very low: +0.2%. In 2013, the "Zombie Formalism" painter was number 407 in Artprice's Top 500 of the most expensive artists. While he has still not returned to this ranking, he can count on the loyal support of David Zwirner to continue his comeback. His New York gallery recently inaugurated "Ourself Behind Ourself, Concealed", a solo show on Murillo lasting until June 4.