STYLE Edit: For US$357,000 or more (if you can afford it), Banksy’s ‘This is a pipe’ could be yours at Christie’s Hong Kong auction

It is, simply, an illustration of a pipe. Below the pipe, it says, “This is a pipe”. Such is the popularity of Banksy that this work will probably sell for anything from HK$2.8 million (US$357,000) to HK$3.8 million. Other similarly tongue-in-cheek items include a SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired KAWSBOB (HK$50,000-HK$80,000), or Companions (HK$500,000-HK$700,000), both by KAWS; or the red and white Hat by Yayoi Kusama, which is yours if you can start bidding from HK$1.6 million. Welcome to Christie’s First Open auction.

The annual event, which takes place on Friday, March 29 this year, brings together works that span decades and continents, from Asian 20th century and contemporary art, to Western post-war and contemporary art. Unsurprisingly, there is a vast array of styles, the only constant being an element of innovation and surprise.

“On offer are works from some of the most in-demand names in today’s art world, across a range of mediums,” says Dina Zhang, head of sale at Christie’s. “The breadth of the sale explores several engaging themes that are sure to appeal to collectors looking for a fresh perspective.”

In stark contrast to the aforementioned contemporary offerings are the works by 20th-century master Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita. The Japanese artist is known for his “milky-white” approach, a technique that emphasises the ethereal fineness of human skin, and his works blend traditional Japanese ink techniques with a very Western genre – nude portraiture. Among those selected for the sale are Nu a l’escarpin jaune (Nude with yellow shoe) (HK$550,000-HK$850,000) and Fille (HK$700,000-HK$900,000).