PRESS RELEASE
PHILLIPS ANNOUNCES HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE
FEBRUARY MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART SALE
Auction Showcases Notable Works and Charity Lots Benefiting the Cancer Research Institute
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Manolo Valdés Reina Mariana, 1992 Estimate: $250,000 - 350,000 |
Sam Gilliam Dew, 1974-1975 Estimate: $200,000 - 300,000 |
NEW YORK – 11 FEBRUARY 2026 - Phillips is pleased to announce highlights from its Modern & Contemporary Art sale on 28 February at 432 Park Avenue, presenting more than 160 works that span over a century of artistic production. Leading the auction is Manolo Valdés’ Reina Mariana from 1992, a carved olive‑wood sculpture that reinterprets Diego Velázquez’s court portrait of Queen Mariana of Austria as a bold, faceless silhouette defined by textured inlays and striking physical presence. The sale also features Sam Gilliam’s circular Dew (1974–75), an example of the artist’s richly experimental approach during the mid‑1970s. Rounding out the top highlights is Emily Kame Kngwarreye’s My Country, 1995, a dynamic expression of the artist’s signature visual language. This season, Phillips is also honored to present a group of works sold to benefit the Cancer Research Institute, with proceeds supporting the organization’s pioneering immunotherapy research. The present sale includes two works sold to support the charity – Ed Ruscha’s Blurred City and Jennifer Guidi’s Downvalley, both from 2025. Formerly known as New Now, the February Modern & Contemporary Art sale continues to broaden its scope, offering collectors an expanded, cross‑generational perspective on the evolving art‑historical landscape.
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