Draw of contemporary Chinese inks

CHINESE ink could well be the new black in the art market - with Christie's looking to put up a dedicated sale for Chinese ink works in autumn this year, in Hong Kong.

It started private sales of contemporary Chinese ink works last March, and has seen enough interest in the area to justify a dedicated auction, says Sara Mao, an associate specialist in Christie's Chinese Paintings department based in Hong Kong.

For those who baulk at the skyhigh prices of Chinese modern paintings in the auction market, it could be timely to keep a keen eye on Chinese contemporary ink works. "This is still a new area, and prices are still unsettled, so it's good to look at this segment now," she says.