Madonna and her infamous coffee table book SEX celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. Thanks to a new auction via Christie’s, the celebration continues.
The famed auction house recently announced the October 6 event “Madonna x Meisel – The SEX Photographs.” During the auction, 40 one-of-a-kind photo prints taken by Steven Meisel will be up for bid at Christie’s New York location. Additionally, these 40 photos will be on display at the following Christie’s locations before hitting the auction block:
-London: May 23-June 2
-Paris: June 24-July 6
-New York: September 30-October 6
Darius Himes, Christie’s Deputy Chairman/International Head of Photographs, said in a statement, “In the intervening 30 years since her infamous ‘SEX’ book was released—shot exclusively in collaboration with Meisel—what has become clear is how truly iconic those photographs remain.”
Himes added, “They sit at a moment in art history of the late 20th century that both summarizes a moment, playful and prescient, and hints at the future of public stardom driven by image-conscious figures. These images are nothing short of brilliant.”
SEX was first released in October 1992 the day after the release of Erotica, Madonna’s fifth studio album. The book topped the New York Times’ Best Seller list for three weeks and sold a staggering 1.5 million copies. While the book originally sold for $50 USD when first released, it was reissued last year by Saint Laurent. The reissue of the book was limited to 800 copies and had a price tag of $2,200 USD. SEX remains the fastest and best-selling coffee table book of all time.