Phillips Announces Highlights from the New Now Auction

Phillips Announces Highlights from the New Now Auction

London Sale on 19 April to Showcase Contemporary Artists Including Invader, Eddie Martinez, Francis Alÿs, and Tracey Emin, Alongside Emerging Talents Leonard Baby, Alfie Caine, and Xie Lei

LONDON – 9 APRIL 2024 – Phillips is pleased to present highlights of the upcoming New Now auction in London on 19 April. Featuring over 150 lots, the sale includes works by established artists such as Invader, Eddie Martinez, Francis Alÿs, Tracey Emin, Gilbert & George, and Miriam Cahn. Additionally, it presents contemporary works by emerging talents including Leonard Baby, Alfie Caine, Xie Lei, Wynnie Mynerva, and auction newcomer Jack Jubb. Further highlights include a selection of sculptures by Maurizio Cattelan, Sterling Ruby, Alicja Kwade, and Elmgreen and Dragset, as well as works by Françoise Gilot, Alighiero Boetti, and Salvo. Prior to the auction, the exhibition at 30 Berkeley Square will be open to the public from 11 to 18 April.

Charlotte Gibbs, Head of New Now, London, said, “We are thrilled to present London's first New Now sale of 2024, which showcases a dynamic fusion of 20th Century and Contemporary works appealing to both new and seasoned collectors. From our front run of cutting-edge artworks by emerging talents such as Alfie Caine and Leonard Baby to sculptural works by Elmgreen and Dragset and Maurizio Cattelan, our auction encapsulates the spirit of New Now and celebrates the vibrant diversity of the middle market. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our London galleries this April to see this exceptional selection of works.”

Emerging in the late 1990s, Invader, the anonymous French street artist, is renowned for his pixelated mosaic designs, drawing inspiration from retro video games and iconic figures of pop culture. In the present work, Bruce Lee 3D, Invader captures the martial artist in his trademark pixelated style, melding Bruce Lee's iconic pose with nostalgic 80s video game aesthetics. What sets Invader's urban art apart is its integration of local craftsmanship and culture. Each piece becomes a conduit for communication and exploration, reflecting the unique essence of its surroundings. Invader currently has 3,960 murals in situ across 79 cities and 6 continents worldwide and envisions his work as an ongoing project reshaping the future of art.

A highlight of the sale is Eddie Martinez’s Open Ocean Mind, from 2020. Martinez orchestrates a symphony of colour, sound, and form, infusing his composition with rhythm. By employing a diverse range of techniques from spray paint to meticulous line work, the artist seamlessly blends surrealism with fantasy, crafting a mesmerising visual experience that has earned him global recognition. Martinez’s work is held by international institutions including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, and ICA, Miami. Martinez will represent San Marino at the 2024 Venice Biennale opening later this month.

In Francis Alÿs’ Untitled, 1995, a suited man is shown at the breakfast table engaged in an elegant balancing act between his body, the utensils and the meal before him.  Each element creates a delicate tension, such as the finger's touch saving a falling bread slice. Against a dreamlike lime green backdrop, Alÿs crafts a meditative moment, inviting reflection on the mundane and unveiling the beauty of the everyday through meticulous detail. The celebrated artist has been awarded numerous accolades including the Wolfgang Hahn Prize (2023), among others. Alÿs has also been the subject of major solo exhibitions at world renowned institutions including Wiels, Brussels, MUAC, Mexico City, and The Belgian Pavilion, Venice Biennale (2022). Later this year Barbican Art Gallery will host a solo exhibition dedicated to the artist, from 27 June to 1 September 2024.

Francis Alÿs

Untitled, 1995

Estimate: £40,000 - 60,000

Further contemporary highlights include works by Tracey Emin, Gilbert & George, and Miriam Cahn.

Leonard Baby's paintings capture pop-sensibility and eighties glamour, offering glimpses into the meticulously staged world of cinema by reimagining cinematic moments from mid-century European classics to contemporary romantic comedies. His work, reminiscent of Wayne Thiebaud's still lifes, blends cinematic nostalgia with irony, as seen in Medicine Cabinet, where the scene unfolds as outstretched hands reach for a lacquered wood cabinet filled with classic liqueurs like Cinzano and Fernet-Branca. Based in Brooklyn and born in 1996, Baby recently completed a residency with PLOP in East London and has exhibited internationally, including solo shows at the Fortnight Institute, New York, and Half Gallery, Los Angeles.

Leonard Baby

Medicine Cabinet, 2022

Estimate: £12,000 - 18,000

Further ultra-contemporary and emerging artists to feature in this sale include Alfie Caine, Xie Lei, Wynnie Mynerva, and auction newcomer Jack Jubb.

The sale highlights a curated selection of sculptural works, showcasing renowned artists such as Maurizio Cattelan, Sterling Ruby, Alicja Kwade, and Elmgreen and Dragset.

Painted during a pivotal moment in Françoise Gilot’s career, Petit Bain Turc draws inspiration from her experiences in Tunisia and the birth of her daughter, Aurélia. Visiting Tunisia with her husband Luc Simon in May 1956 and welcoming Aurélia in October, Gilot found ample material for works in the following year. This intimate painting, reflecting Gilot's enduring fascination with diverse cultures, echoes the exoticism of artists such as Ingres and Gérôme. Through delicate brushwork and subtle tones, Gilot skillfully captures the tranquil ambiance of the Turkish bath, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a moment of relaxation and introspection.

 Françoise Gilot

Petit Bain Turc, 1956

Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000

Alighiero Boetti and Salvo were two of the most innovative figures in the Italian artistic scene in the second half of the 20th Century. The two artists met in Turin, a city renowned for its vibrant intellectual atmosphere during that period, and where they shared a studio in the late 1960s and 1970s. Boetti worked in 2D, experimenting with embroidery on canvas, while Salvo painted. This sale showcases work by both artists; Boetti’s Bisogna essere leggeri come gli uccelli e non come le, 1980 and two works by Salvo, Una Sera, 1989, and Un’estate a Mentone, 2000.

Auction: 19 April 2024

Auction viewing: 11 – 18 April 2024

Location: 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX

Click here for more information: https://www.phillips.com/UK010324