Museum art auction boasts 91 pieces of artwork

From a $1,200 photographic print from campy filmmaker John Waters to dreamy seascapes by female abstract artist Mary Heilmann for $75,000, the Orange County Museum of Art Auction 2007 tonight will have something to accommodate every taste and pocketbook.

The museum’s biannual auction will feature 91 works from nationally and internationally acclaimed artists; everything from sculpture and painting to photography.

One of Chief Curator Elizabeth Armstrong’s favorite items in the auction are two signed silver gelatin prints from the 1930s by renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman.

The photographer gained fame for his depictions of midcentury modern architecture in California.

The first print in Saturday’s auction, titled “Julius Shulman Diving into Newport Bay,” shows a man in swimming trunks suspended in a swan dive into the bay as sail boats drift along in the water.

The second print, titled “Street Scene, Balboa Beach, 1933,” shows local landmarks that have changed little over the years.

“The scene is very recognizable to people who live in the area and it’s wonderful to have something so local from an internationally recognized artist,” Armstrong said.

The event, $200 per person at the door for museum members and $225 per person for non-members, will begin with a silent auction 7:30 p.m. today.

The live auction will begin at 9 p.m. with guest auctioneer Andrea Fiuczynski, president of Christie’s Los Angeles.

Proceeds from the event will benefit operating costs and educational programs at the museum.

— Brianna Bailey