A $30 million Brice Marden painting set to break the artist’s record at Christie’s.

Brice Marden’s diptych Event (2004–07) is expected to break the artist’s auction record in May when it goes under the hammer at Christie’s New York 21st century evening sale. The painting’s estimate is $30 million–$50 million.

Marden passed away last year at 84 years old. His current record is $30.9 million, set by Complements (2004–07) at Christie’s in 2020.

Event is part of Marden’s acclaimed series “The Propitious Garden of Plane Image,” made up of six works characterized by intricate, squiggled forms typical of the artist’s abstract style. Two works in the series are currently owned by major museums: The Propitious Garden of Plane Image, Third Version (2000-06) belongs to The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and Extremes (2004–05) is part of the collection of the Centre Pompidou.

“This painting marks the finest example by Brice Marden to come to auction,” said Sara Friedlander, deputy chairman of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s. “Throughout his career, Mr. Marden demonstrated his enduring commitment to abstraction: each hue carefully chosen and every brushstroke intentional in his pursuit of painting’s divine power.”

Before the auction, Event will be showcased at the 17th edition of Art Dubai, marking its public debut. Marden finished the piece 17 years ago, in 2007, and it has remained in a private collection ever since.