Article | Modern And Contemporary Art Auction New York September 2026

We all love that magical moment when we go from perusing an auction catalogue to finally setting foot in the gallery for the sale preview. Everything that drew us in on the screen speaks so differently when it’s before us in space. And certain incredible themes, connections, or juxtapositions don’t fully emerge until you’re on the ground either. Our upcoming Modern & Contemporary Art auction in New York offers just such a moment, representing the core of Phillips’ offering.

Beyond the leading lots, and even beyond the showstopping new-to-market talent we’re always looking for, some interesting groupings arise. Below, we highlight a few that are catching our eye, and invite you to discover some of your own at our preview exhibition at 432 Park Avenue, open from 18 September until the auction on 28 September.

Life en Plein Air: Works from the Estate of Lee Beltzer

Dr. Lee Beltzer was the kind of collector many of us aspire to be. Deeply embedded in the fabric of New York’s art scene, he forged lasting friendships with artists — including his Brooklyn College colleague Lois Dodd — regularly attending their exhibition openings both locally and abroad. Dr. Beltzer displayed his entire collection in his Brooklyn loft, never selling any work or relegating anything to storage. For him, art was to be lived with. The result was an exceptionally refined collection of luminous, vibrant American landscape paintings united by an atmospheric and radiant sensibility. From his walls to ours and now potentially yours, these works await new discovery.

Completed Legacies

A great artist’s spirit is inextinguishable, but what a year of loss it has been for art lovers. However, works by those recently passed often speak with a renewed resonance now that their maker’s stories are complete. Yayoi Kusama’s inviting 1978 work, Late Autumn Skies, reveals a perhaps unexpected dimension of her practice, but her mastery of texture and color, and her engagement with natural motifs and atmospheric abstraction are on full display — all hallmarks of her work in the late 1970s.

Celeste Dupuy-Spencer’s Glassell Park — a portrait of the artist’s former partner — uses a stark plume of cigarette smoke to examine the fleeting nature of presence, a theme made all the more poignant following Dupuy-Spencer’s passing in April. Placed in dialogue with Mary Heilmann’s intimate Little Rosebud, a compelling connection emerges. Serving as a companion work to Heilmann’s definitive Rosebud, it similarly translates personal loss, capturing her unique ability to combine geometry and emotional character.

Latin American Art’s New Horizons

In recent years, artists from Latin America have commanded renewed attention from both global collectors and major institutions. Fueled by a wave of landmark retrospective exhibitions — such as Beatriz González at the Barbican and major surveys of Olga de Amaral — now is an ideal moment to explore a rich category that has long been unfairly overlooked. Spanning South American modernism through contemporary practices, the works featured in the sale encompass everything from bold abstraction and conceptualism to innovative mixed-media and powerful explorations of identity.

Post-War American Abstraction

Second-generation American abstract art is also in high demand, offering collectors a rewarding area of discovery — as seen in the standout results for the category last May at Phillips. Our offering this season includes vibrant color field works by Friedel Dzubas and Hans Hofmann, alongside much more, including the lyrical Phenomena breathe blue by Paul Jenkins from the collection of Tina Hills. For a closer read on the movement, look no further than our collector’s guide with advisor Dakota Sica.

More to Explore

From Julian Schnabel’s 1987 work on paper presented as a gift to actor and artist Dean Stockwell, to the underrecognized German fiber artist Lissy Funk, and expansive works by Sol LeWitt and Lawrence Weiner, looking closely at our preview is its own reward. Visit the gallery to uncover endless discoveries and a rich web of associations waiting to be woven.