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Phillips’ Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale to Highlight a Diverse Range of Blue-Chip Artists and Emerging Talents
Auction on 15 May to Feature Works by Helen Frankenthaler, Andy Warhol, Robert Motherwell, and André Derain Amongst Contemporary Artists Anish Kapoor, Mark Bradford, and Calida Rawles’ Auction Debut
NEW YORK – 30 APRIL 2024 – Phillips is pleased to present a focused selection of artworks in the upcoming Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale on 15 May in New York. The auction presents a curated grouping of exceptional works from Post-War and Modern artists such as Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, Andy Warhol, and André Derain as well as contemporary artists Anish Kapoor, Eric Fischl, and Henry Taylor. Additionally, the sale will feature works by some of the most sought-after artists working today, such as Calida Rawles and Jenna Gribbon, among others. The auction will commence with the Morning Session at 10am ET, followed by the Afternoon Session at 2pm ET, taking place at 432 Park Avenue. Comprised of over 270 lots, the public exhibition will be available for viewing from 4-14 May, with the complete online catalogue for the Morning Session accessible here and for the Afternoon Session here
Annie Dolan and Patrizia Koenig, Co-Heads of the New York Day Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, said, “We are delighted to welcome collectors into our New York galleries for Phillips’ Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale, as we feature late 19th and 20th-century stalwarts alongside contemporary blue-chip and emerging artists. We are also pleased to present works from distinguished Private Collections and Estates, including those of Inger and Osborn Elliott, Eugene and Dorothy Prakapas, and the Terner Family Collection. Following Phillips’ landmark exhibition New Terrains: Contemporary Native American Art, we are excited to foreground works by indigenous artists such as Emmi Whitehorse, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Fritz Scholder in the Morning Session, and Jeffrey Gibson and Raven Halfmoon in the Afternoon Session. Both Whitehorse’s and Gibson’s works are currently on view as part of the 60th Venice Biennale."
Morning Session Leading the Morning Session is Helen Frankenthaler’s Spirits of Wine from 1972 [illustrated page one], a captivating exploration of color, line, and space. This masterpiece, which has remained in the same collection since 1975, measures almost six feet tall and showcases Frankenthaler’s innovative soak-stain technique. Her transition from thinned oil paint to diluted acrylic ten years prior removed residual halos and allowed her to seamlessly
Hollow Men Series by Robert Motherwell from 1989 was painted just two years before the artist’s death. Born out of the Spanish Civil War, Motherwell’s renowned Elegies paved the way for this series, consisting of approximately 33 works and named after a 1925 poem by T. S. Eliot which explores themes of hopelessness and redemption following World War I. Rendered in varied shades of amber, the figures in Hollow Men Series embody a Surrealist tendency that defines Motherwell’s late practice.
Following the department's rebranding to Modern & Contemporary Art, Phillips will offer a selection of high-quality Impressionist and Modern artworks in the Morning Session. Fauvist paintings and drawings by artists such as André Derain, Maurice de Vlaminck, Henri Matisse, and Raoul Dufy will be complemented by a major bronze sculpture, La nymphe aux fleurs, by Aristide Maillol, and a petite yet significant early still life by Pablo Picasso from 1908, titled Tasse et bananes.
Presenting a distinguished selection of artworks from important estate collections, the sale includes Property from the Estate of Inger and Osborn Elliott, known for their contributions to New York City’s cultural scene. Together, they amassed a remarkable collection, including rare early works by artists such as Willem de Kooning, Wassily Kandinsky, and Milton Avery, alongside many other innovators of modern and post-war art. In addition to the Elliotts' collection, Phillips is pleased to feature Property from the Estate of Eugene and Dorothy Prakapas, pioneering gallerists known for their adventurous curatorial approach. Proceeds from their collection will benefit the Eugene and Dorothy Prakapas Scholarship Fund at Yale University, honoring the memory of Thomas C. Mendenhall. Works from their Estate include those by Picasso, Fernand Léger, Willi Baumeister, and Howard Hodgkin.
Afternoon Session A testament to Phillips’ reputation as the auction house for cutting-edge contemporary art, the Afternoon Session will debut artists Calida Rawles, Raven Halfmoon, Basil Kincaid, Jamea Richmond-Edwards, and Marco Pariani to
Kicking off the Afternoon Session is Calida Rawles' highly anticipated debut piece, Pillar, from her celebrated Water Dancer series. Rawles, known for her profound exploration of the Black female experience in America, brings her visionary perspective to life in Pillar, which envisions a liberated space within the depths of water. This debut coincides with Rawles' first museum solo exhibition at Pérez Museum, scheduled to open in June 2024. Another highlight is Francesca Mollet's Sancreed, 2020. This piece marks Mollet’s first larger-scale work to come to auction since Phillips achieved the artist's auction record in October 2023.
Among the standout lots in the auction is Jeffrey Gibson's MAKE ME FEEL IT, 2015. Gibson brings a unique perspective to contemporary Native American art, drawing on personal experiences, cultural heritage, and social commentary to create works that resonate deeply with viewers. Gibson's work coincides with his selection to represent the United States at the prestigious 60th Venice Biennale.
In a similar vein, Titus Kaphar’s Pushing Back the Light, 2012, offers a profound reevaluation of Claude Monet’s Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son, 1875. Originally exhibited at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., in 2010 alongside the original, Kaphar's work emerges as one of his most significant pieces to appear at auction. Following the auction record Phillips achieved this spring for artist Kehinde Wiley, Phillips is excited to present After Memling's Portrait of Jacob Obrecht, 2013, one of only eight intimately scaled wood panel portraits the artist created as part of a series referencing 15th-century Flemish painter Hans Memling. Taking a key position in Wiley’s oeuvre, the series was most recently exhibited at The National Gallery in London in 2021-22.
Included among the top lots is Anish Kapoor’s Random Triangle Mirror, 2016 [illustrated page one], which showcases the artist’s mastery of light and form. Mark Bradford’s Starin’ Through My Rear View, 2006, is a discrete,
Additionally, Eric Fischl's Motel is a significant diptych from the artist's seminal year of 1984. Fischl's enigmatic work captures the essence of suburban life, exploring themes of intimacy, desire, and isolation with his characteristic blend of ambiguity and emotional depth.
Auction: 15 May 2024, Morning Session 10am EDT & Afternoon Session 2pm EDT Auction viewing: 4 - 14 May Location: 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY, United States, 10022 Click here for more information on the Morning Session: https://www.phillips.com/auctions/auction/NY010424 Click here for more information on the Afternoon Session: https://www.phillips.com/auctions/auction/NY010524
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
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
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auction. Phillips is proud to showcase a diverse range of artworks by women artists: from emerging talent such as 
domestically-scaled example of the artist’s celebrated oeuvre and notably references the eponymous 1996 Tupac (2pac) Shakur song. Constructed from everyday materials found on the streets of Los Angeles, including posters, advertisements, and flyers, Bradford’s work is deeply rooted in the urban environment. This connection to his surroundings allows Bradford to reflect subtly on the history, social structures, and lived experiences of Los Angeles, both conceptually and physically.
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