Hong Kong – Tetsuya Ishida's The Men on a Belt Conveyor achieved HK$10,013,000 at Bonhams' Modern and Contemporary Art sale today, setting a new auction record for the artist.

Marcello Kwan, Bonhams' Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, Asia, commented: "We are thrilled to set a new auction record for Tetsuya Ishida, a profoundly talented artist whose works reflect his sincerity, perseverance, and compassion for humanity through surreal portrayals of the struggles and oppression faced by modern society. It is exciting to witness the burgeoning market for Ishida's art, reflecting a growing appreciation for unique and academically significant works. We are honoured to have been entrusted with the sale of this rare and inspiring piece."

About the Work

Born in 1973, Tetsuya Ishida was a contemporary Japanese artist known for his poignant exploration of alienation and existential anxieties in the modern world. Through distorted imagery and surreal techniques, he often symbolised individuals as machines, components, or consumer goods, portraying the struggle and despair faced by a generation in Japan during and even after the economic downturn in the 1990s.

The Men on a Belt Conveyor (1996) exemplifies Ishida's distinctive style and is one of only about 200 remaining works from his brief decade-long career. The painting depicts office workers in suits lying on an escalator, trapped in monotonous routines that erode their identities and freedom. Like many of his other works, Ishida illustrated how people become mere cogs in a vast economic machine, constrained by societal structures that limit their freedom and stifle independent thought.

It was only after his passing that Ishida's art began to receive significant public attention. Initially recognised in Japan, it has since achieved international acclaim, with exhibitions at the 2015 Venice Biennale and a 2019 retrospective at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid, where his works resonated deeply with European audiences.