ArtLink sold Arabella Sim's Acoustic Earth for $2200

Art lovers who want to buy a future masterpiece for a bargain price can view the lots in an online catalogue, see and hear the auction room and interact with the auctioneer.

To make a bid, all the online bidder need do is click 'Enter' and the new bid will be acknowledged by the auctioneer.

It is a lot easier than more conventional methods like telephone bidding or waving a catalogue from the auction room floor.

What is more, there is no danger that a quick scratch of the nose will leave the bidder with a post-modern embarrassment.

Cruel life for artists

The auction is the brainchild of Israeli Tal Danai.

"Enabling art lovers to take part in auctions over the Internet, and view works in virtual galleries, is vital for emerging young artists who generally find it cruelly hard to achieve any kind of platform," he said.

The 35 artists were selected from over 300 hopefuls by an international committee of art experts. To be chosen each piece had to be contemporary, reflect personal or social issues and have a twist of humour.

Prices at previous, offline, auctions have ranged from �200 to �8,000.