By Carter B. Horsley

The large day auctions of Contemporary Art at Phillips de Pury May 12, 2006 are highlighted by a beautiful photograph of Vesuvius by Piotr Uklanski, an intriguing "floor plan" by Guillermo Kuitca, a very nice sculpture by Juan Munoz,, a delightful "pick-up sticks" arrangement by Tom Friedman, and a great digitally manipulated photograph by Cui Xiuwen.

Lot 180 is a simple but charming, untitled bronze, wood and steel sculpture by Juan Munoz (1953-2001). It measures 44 by 15 by 12 inches and was executed in 1986. It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $74,400 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article. The sale was quite successful with about three-quarters of the offered lots selling for a total of $11,696,320.

Lot 182 is a strong acrylic and ink on linen by Guillermo Kuitca (b. 1961) that is "Untitled (Marble Flooring Plan of the Church of the Four Nations, Paris)." It measures 76 3/4 by 62 3/4 inches and was executed in 2000. It has an estimate of $70,000 to $90,000. It sold for $102,000.

Lot 137 is a very impressive and lyrical abstraction by Richard Pousette-Dart (1916-1992) entitled "By The Sea." An oil on canvas, it measures 53 by 117 1/4 inches and was painted in 1957. It has an estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 156 is a very strong and very painterly oil on canvas by Karel Appel (b. 1921). Entitled "Wounded Horse," it measures 72 by 96 inches and was executed in 1983. It has an estimate of $120,000 to $180,000. It failed to sell.

One of themost beautiful works inthe auction is Lot 362, a color photograph of Vesuvius at twilight by Piotr Uklanski (b. 1969). It was shot in 2000 and measures 67 by 96 inches and is from an edition of five. It has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000. It sold for $66,000.

Lot 193 is a fine untitled work by Tom Friedman (b. 1965) that consists of two piles of colored "pick-up" sticks, one strewn randomly and the other laid laid carefully to duplicate the first pile. The 1990 work has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $66,000.

Lot 353 is a striking digitally manipulated photograph by Cui Xiuwen (b. 1970). Entitled "Sanjie," it measures 19 3/4 by 119 3/8 inches. It was executed in 2003 and has a modest estimate of $15,000 to $20,000. It sold for $57,600.

Lot 181, "Signatures in Parallel," is a stunning oil on canvas by Juan Usle (b. 1954). It measures 44 by 78 inches and was painted in 2002. It has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000. It sold for $66,000.

Lot 190, "Aerei," is a very beautiful work by Alighiero E Boetti (1940-1994). Executed in 1979, it depicts scores of different airplanes and jets and is ballpoint pen on paper laid down on three attached canvases, 27 by 58 inches overall. It has an estimate of $70,000 to $90,000. It sold for $72,000.

Lot 274, "Huge/Wego," is an intriguing and impressive work by William Wegman (b. 1943) that consists of oil paint and found postcards on wood panel. It measures 24 1/2 by 48 1/2 inches. It has a modest estimate of $15,000 to $20,000. It sold for $15,600.