Press | Phillips

Phillips’ Day Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art Realizes $23.6 Million, Bringing the Week’s Total to $110 Million

Records Set for Emmi Whitehorse and Charles Alston with Successful Auction Debuts for Calida Rawles, Basil Kincaid, and Raven Halfmoon

New York, 15 May 2024

Sale Total: $23,643,811 / £18,638,416 / €21,723,934

COMBINED TOTAL FOR THE WEEK: $109,941,610 / £87,184,758 / €101,480,360

Lots Sold: 215 | Lots Offered: 259

Sold by Lot: 81% | Sold by Value: 84%

Annie Dolan and Patrizia Koenig, Co-Heads of the Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale in New York, said, “Emblematic of the successful strategy that has come to define Phillips, our New York Day Sale brought together the very best of Modern and Contemporary Art. In a bustling saleroom at 432 Park Avenue, on Phillips.com, and on the phone banks, collectors from across the world vied for exceptional works that spanned nearly 120 years. Continuing the momentum set in yesterday’s Evening Sale, female artists set new benchmarks with Joan Mitchell’s Untitled work from 1975 realizing $584,200 and the Lois Dodd achieving the second-highest price of $228,600. We were proud to debut several artists today, including Calida Rawles, whose Pillar sold for $53,340, and achieved the second-highest price for Francesca Mollet at $139,700. Concurrent with Jeffrey Gibson’s representation of the U.S. at the 60th Venice Biennale, we saw spirited bidding for his work, MAKE ME FEEL IT, which achieved $101,600. We were also delighted to set several records, including for Emmi Whitehorse and Charles Alston. We look forward to welcoming our community of collectors back for our sales in Hong Kong later this month.”

Top Ten Lots

Lot	Description	Estimate	Price Achieved
133	Helen Frankenthaler, Spirits of Wine, 1972	$1,200,000 - 1,800,000	$1,168,400
134	Robert Motherwell, Hollow Men Series, 1989	$600,000 - 800,000	$698,500
343	Anish Kapoor, Random Triangle Mirror, 2016	$400,000 - 600,000	$673,100
168	Aristide Maillol, La nymphe aux fleurs, Conceived in 1931 and cast by the Alexis Rudier Foundry in Paris before 1952	$600,000 - 800,000	$635,000
138	Joan Mitchell, Untitled, circa 1975	$350,000 - 550,000	$584,200
167	Manolo Valdés, Reina Mariana, 2016	$300,000 - 500,000	$444,500
346	Eric Fischl, Motel, 1984	$300,000 - 500,000	$381,000
148	Yayoi Kusama, Butterfly, 1990	$200,000 - 300,000	$355,600
149	On Kawara, NOV. 8, 1977 (from Today Series, no. 23), November 8, 1977	$150,000 - 200,000	$330,200
110	Willem de Kooning, Still Life, circa 1929	$150,000 - 250,000	$330,200

New Auction Records

Lot	Description	Estimate	Price Achieved
101	Emmi Whitehorse (Diné), Canyon Lake I, 2001	$12,000 - 18,000	$177,800
	*previous record price: $127,000 set in 2024
140	Charles Alston, Black and White #7, 1961	$150,000 - 200,000	$215,900
	*previous record price: $197,000 set in 2020
440	Thilo Heinzmann, O.T., 2013	$15,000 - 20,000	$38,100
	*previous record price: $35,877 set in 2021

*Lots 153, 188, 200, and 351 were sold after the lots closed, whilst the sale was ongoing, and are therefore included in the total sale result.

Exchange Rate on 15 May 2024: US$1 = £0.7883, €0.9188, HK$7.8099

ABOUT PHILLIPS

Phillips: where the world’s curious and bold connect with the art, design and luxury that inspires them. As a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century works, Phillips offers dedicated expertise in the areas of Modern and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewels. Auctions and exhibitions are primarily held in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, with representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips offers a regular selection of live and online auctions, along with items available for immediate purchase. Phillips also offers a range of services and advice on all aspects of collecting, including private sales and assistance with appraisals, valuations, and financial planning.

Visit phillips.com for further information.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

PRESS CONTACTS:

NEW YORK – Jaime Israni, Head of PR and Corporate Communications, Americas jisrani@phillips.com

PHILLIPS NEW YORK – 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022

PHILLIPS LONDON – 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX

PHILLIPS HONG KONG – G/F, WKCDA Tower, West Kowloon Cultural District, No. 8 Austin Road, West Kowloon