Phillips Announces Modern and Contemporary Highlights Ahead of the London 20th Century & Contemporary Art Sales
Evening Sale on 7 March to Include Andy Warhol's Portrait of Princess Diana and a Diverse Selection of Blue-Chip and Cutting-Edge Names including newcomer Alia Ahmad’s Auction Debut
LONDON – 26 FEBRUARY 2024 – Phillips unveils a diverse selection of works from the upcoming 20th Century & Contemporary Art auctions on 7 and 8 March. The Evening Sale showcases a captivating range of portraits spanning over a century, including examples from Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir, avant-garde provocateur Francis Picabia, and Andy Warhol’s iconic Portrait of Princess Diana alongside pieces by Frank Auerbach and Adrian Ghenie. Noteworthy abstract compositions by Yayoi Kusama, Cecily Brown, and Sigmar Polke further enrich the selection. Ultra Contemporary names include Alia Ahmad’s auction debut and works by Jonathan Gardner and Jesse Mockrin. The preview exhibition will open at Phillips Berkeley Square on 28 February until the Evening Sale on 7 March at 3pm, followed by the Day Sale on 8 March at 1pm.
Andy Warhol's Portrait of Princess Diana, created in 1982 following Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles the year before, is based on Lord Snowdon’s official engagement photograph of the couple. This striking depiction of the young princess is one of only four Warhol Princess Diana portraits in this format, and the only blue work among them. It is the first time that one of these works has been presented at auction since 2012. In this portrait, Warhol's exploration of the interplay between beauty, tragedy, and the darker facets of fame shines through, resonating with the enduring allure Diana holds for the public. Through vibrant lines and bold contrasts, Warhol immortalises Diana as a timeless symbol of grace and compassion.
Portraiture Across Eras
Pierre-Auguste Renoir's La petite pêcheuse, painted in 1879 during the height of his engagement with Impressionism, showcases the artist’s modern approach to portraiture, as well as his abiding interest in the shifting effects of coastal light. Featuring the young Marthe Bérard, daughter of one of Renoir’s most important benefactors, the work was painted during the first summer that Renoir spent with the family at their country home on the Normandy coast, marking the start of a long and rewarding friendship.
Capturing the evolving perception of childhood, the portrait was originally commissioned by Marthe’s godmother and remained in her collection for over 40 years. Renoir painted some fourteen family portraits of the Bérard family, many of which are now held in some of the world’s most prestigious institutional collections.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
La petite pêcheuse, 1879
Estimate £900,000 - 1,200,000
Frank Auerbach's J.Y.M. Seated in the Studio II is the largest of a small suite of eight works painted between 1987 and 1988 featuring one of Auerbach’s most significant models ‘J.Y.M.’ or Juliet Yardley Mills, who sat for Auerbach twice a week for more than 30 years. The work showcases Auerbach’s distinctive painterly process, building up his compositions in multiple layers of paint, scraping back, and repainting to yield textured, almost sculptural effects. While the other works from this series reside in private collections, those featuring Juliet Yardley Mills are held by esteemed institutions worldwide. This work is coming to auction for the first time, having been held in the same private collection since it was painted.
Frank Auerbach
J.Y.M. Seated in the Studio II, 1987-88
Estimate £600,000 - 800,000
Adrian Ghenie’s provocative work from 2010, Self-Portrait as a Monkey, weaves together Charles Darwin's evolutionary theories with the darker historical undercurrents of European history. A major and recurring theme for the artist, the present work represents an early example of Ghenie’s engagement with Darwin, here combining his own likeness with that of a monkey in a nod to the popular reception of Darwin’s theories of human evolution, and the more problematic uses to which they were put in the 20th century.
Adrian Ghenie
Self-Portrait as a Monkey, 2010
Estimate £600,000 - 800,000
The sale will also feature two works from Martin Kippenberger's esteemed Fred the Frog series. Innovative and controversial self-portraits, these works exemplify the intersections of art and life that best characterise the artist's expansive practice.
Abstract Explorations
A leading highlight of the Evening Sale is Yayoi Kusama’s INFINITY-NETS (ZXSSAO), a mesmerising iteration of her ongoing Infinity Nets series. Rooted in Kusama's childhood hallucinations, the deep red hue recalls her earliest visions, where a sea of red flowers enveloped her surroundings, offering a glimpse into eternity. Over her 70-year career, Kusama continues to reinvent these endlessly looping abstract whorls, as seen in her Infinity Nets, soft sculptures, and immersive Infinity Rooms.
Cecily Brown's 2013 painting, Luck Just Kissed You Hello, debuted in her solo show at Gagosian Gallery Los Angeles that same year. Renowned as one of the leading painters of her generation Brown’s recent retrospective at The Metropolitan Museum further propelled the global demand for her work. Drawing on painterly traditions of the nude ensemble and Arcadian landscapes, this work blends vibrant colours and gestural brushwork reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism with the sensuality of Old Masters' works. The title playfully nods to David Bowie's ironic commentary on gender identity in his 1979 ‘Boys Keep Swinging’, a fusion of pop culture and painterly tradition that epitomises Brown’s distinctive approach and has been celebrated in exhibitions worldwide. This is the first time the work has been presented at auction.
Cecily Brown
Luck Just Kissed You Hello, 2013
Estimate £1,500,000 - 2,000,000
Acquired by Sigmar Polke’s lawyer Gerhard Knull in the 1970s and held in the family collection for decades, Silberner Zwilling embodies Polke's blend of formal innovation and psychedelic exploration during a pivotal moment in his career. Created amidst his experimentation with photography, communal living, and counterculture in 1975, it is one of only a handful of paintings produced by the artist during this period and exemplifies his disruptive approach to the image and alchemical use of materials.
Sigmar Polke
Silberner Zwilling, 1975
Estimate £800,000 - 1,200,000
Ultra Contemporary Visions
Ultra contemporary artists in the Evening Sale include Saudi-Arabian talent Alia Ahmad, marking her auction debut with Malga - The Place In Which We Gather. With vibrant abstract compositions, Ahmad demonstrates her mastery of colour and scale, drawing inspiration from Riyadh's bustling city life and rich cultural heritage. A graduate of King's College London and the Royal College of Art, Ahmad's work delves into the intricate interplay of memory, place, and identity. Having showcased her work internationally with solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, Jeddah, and Kuwait, Ahmad’s first solo exhibition in Europe is set to open in March 2024 at White Cube, Paris.
Alia Ahmad
Malga - The Place In Which We Gather, 2022
Estimate £20,000 - 30,000
Further highlights in this group come from Jonathan Gardner and Jesse Mockrin, whose works explore themes of surrealism and abstraction, as well as figurative portraiture.
20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale
George Condo's Irish Girl epitomises his exploration of portraiture, seamlessly blending diverse styles like Cubism, Neo-Classicism, Surrealism, and Pop Art. Painted in 2002, it stands out among his works for its elegance and depth, balancing refinement with complexity. Unlike many of his other portraits, which often evoke a mix of horror and beauty with distorted facial features, Irish Girl invites viewers to contemplate human psychology through its nuanced portrayal. With this piece, Condo solidifies his reputation as a visionary artist pushing the limits of contemporary painting.
George Condo
Irish Girl, 2002
Estimate £320,000 - 500,000
A cutting-edge contemporary highlight of the Day Sale is Rachel Jones’ Untitled. Jones’ work boldly explores the emotional and psychological power of colour in her art. Her canvases, adorned with vibrant hues and enigmatic motifs like clenched teeth, blur the lines between pleasure and discomfort while evoking cultural narratives of oppression and self-expression. Further Day Sale highlights include works by Alighiero Boetti, Anselm Kiefer, Banksy, Franz West, Issy Wood, and Damien Hirst.
Rachel Jones
Untitled, 2020
Estimate £40,000 - 60,000
Alighiero Boetti
Da uno a dieci (portoghese), circa 1980
Estimate £250,000 - 350,000
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale
Auction: 7 March 2024, 3pm GMT
Location: 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX
Auction viewing: 28 February - 7 March
Click here for more information: https://www.phillips.com/auctions/auction/UK010124
20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale
Auction: 8 March 2024, 1pm GMT
Location: 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX
Auction viewing: 28 February - 8 March
Click here for more information: https://www.phillips.com/auctions/auction/UK010224
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*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.
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