Idris Khan

Life and contemporary practice

Idris Khan is a British artist born in 1978 who works in London. His practice spans photography, sculpture, video and visual art, placing him within the field of contemporary art. Khan's work has entered public collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, which holds material related to the Fazlur R. Khan Collection dating from 1944 to 2017. This collection comprises manuscripts, typescript and printed papers, correspondence, photographic prints in both black and white and colour, slides, audiocassettes, architectural reprographic prints and graphite drawings. The breadth of media in this holding reflects the interdisciplinary nature of Khan's approach. His nationality and the institutions that collect his work establish him as a figure within British contemporary art whose output addresses questions of memory, repetition and layering across multiple formats.

Photographic works, sculpture and video

Khan produces work in several disciplines, and the form each takes affects how it is valued. Photographic works may exist as unique pieces or as editioned prints. A unique photograph commands a different price from an edition of ten or fifty, and the edition number matters when a specialist assesses value. Sculpture by Khan may be fabricated in metal, resin or other materials, and scale plays a role in desirability and logistics. A small tabletop sculpture differs in market behaviour from a large floor piece or an outdoor work. Video art may be sold as an edition with a certificate, or as a unique installation with specific display requirements. The support for photographic work, whether mounted on aluminium, framed under glass or printed on paper, influences both price and preservation. Collectors and institutions approach unique works differently from editioned ones, and a specialist must establish which category a piece belongs to before forming an estimate.

Examination and authentication

When a specialist examines a work by Khan, several factors determine its value. The medium is the first consideration: a photograph, a sculpture, a video or a drawing each requires different expertise. The period in which the work was made can affect desirability, as certain bodies of work attract more attention than others. For editioned pieces, the size of the edition and the number of the individual work within that edition are essential. A print numbered two of ten is more sought after than one numbered eight of ten. The presence and location of the artist's signature, whether on the front, back or on a certificate, must be verified. Condition is critical. Photographs can suffer from fading, scratching or foxing. Sculptures may show wear, corrosion or repair. Video works depend on the integrity of the file format and any accompanying hardware. Provenance, meaning the history of ownership and exhibition, adds confidence and can raise value. A work shown in a museum exhibition or published in a catalogue carries more weight than one without such history.

Results at this auction house

This auction house has offered one work by Idris Khan, and that work sold. The price realised was 31,468 euros. With only a single result, no pattern or range can be described. A larger sample would be needed to discuss trends in format, period or subject. The figure given reflects one transaction and should not be taken as representative of the artist's wider market or of other works in different media or editions.

Preparing a valuation request

A seller wishing to request a valuation should prepare clear photographs of the work. The front of the piece must be shown in good light, with colour and detail visible. The back should be photographed to reveal any labels, stamps, inscriptions or mounting. If the work is signed, a close image of the signature is necessary. Any labels from galleries, framers or shippers should be legible in the photographs. Dimensions must be provided in centimetres, with height preceding width, and depth included for sculpture. If the work is editioned, the edition size and number must be stated. Any paperwork, including certificates of authenticity, invoices, exhibition history or correspondence with the artist or a gallery, should be scanned or photographed. This information allows a specialist to assess the work accurately and provide a considered estimate.