Indian artist steals the show in West Asia

Dubai, May 25 (UNI) A cartoon-like painting ''Numbers'', made by an Indian painter Rameshwar Broota in 1979, fetched 912,000 dollars at an auction here organised by Christie's of London.

Another painting, Sourya, by Syed Haider Raza, showing a row of three earthy shapes ranging from light to dark, fetched 520,000 dollars.

It was the first sale organised by the international auction house in the West Asia that saw a turnover of 8.5 million dollars.

The auction yesterday nearly doubled Christie's expectations of raising 4.5 million dollars, much of which came from wealthy Indian expatriate businessmen and oil-rich Gulf royals.

The works included abstract paintings, calligraphy, photographs and sculptures from India, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria and Saudi Arabia as well as the West.

The highest bids were for modern paintings from India's Progressive Artists Group, which was formed just after India's Independence in 1947.

The London-based auctioneer opened its first West Asia office in Dubai in April to push art as an alternative investment to real estate and stocks.

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