ArtDayME: Saudi Arabian artist Safeya Binzagr set a series of striking new records when her 1968 painting Coffee Shop in Madina Road sold for $2.1 million at Sotheby’s in Saudi Arabia. The evening sale on January 31st now marks the highest price ever achieved for the artist, exceeding its $150,000–$200,000 estimate by more than ten times.

The result also positions the work as the third-highest auction price for an Arab artist, and firmly establishes it as the most expensive artwork by a Saudi artist ever sold at auction—surpassing the $756,000 record set in 2023 for Mohammed Al Saleem’s 1986 untitled painting at Sotheby’s London.

Ashkan Baghestani, Sotheby’s contemporary art specialist and head of sale, described the outcome as clear evidence of the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding collector base. He noted that both seasoned and first-time buyers showed exceptional engagement, helping bring greater visibility to Saudi and regional artists and strengthening interest in the cultural narratives emerging from the region.

The auction, titled “Origins II,” was held in Diriyah, Riyadh, and achieved a total of $19.58 million. The sale featured prominent Saudi and Middle Eastern artists alongside internationally recognized names, following Sotheby’s inaugural auction in the Kingdom last February.

According to Sotheby’s, collectors from more than 40 countries participated in bidding across over 70 lots, with about one-third of the works acquired by buyers from within Saudi Arabia.