Contemporary Art: Spring Auctions 2019 - A Visit @ Phillips, New York

(Drivebycuriosity) - It´s auction season again. This week the global auction houses have their huge spring auctions in New York City. So my wife and I went to Phillips on 450 Park Avenue ( phillips  ),  the No. 3 of the global auction empires, and visited the pre-auction exhibition for their "20th Century and Contemporary Art Sales".

The company has a reputation to be more focused on contemporary works than her bigger competitors and to show more cutting edge art by up-and-coming artists. But they also had a lot big names. I display here some of my favorites from the exhibition - as usual a very subjective selection (No guarantee for mentioned price estimates).

Cecily Brown belongs to the risings stars in the world of art ( here my report about her show @ Paula Cooper Gallery  driveby). Above you can see her "Sleeping Through the Tempest" (pastel and watercolor on paper, executed in 2016, Estimate $35,000 - 45,000).

I really love the paintings above:  Patrick Nagel`s  "Kristen" (Estimate $60,000 - 90,000) followed by Robert Pruit`s "Fantastic Sagas: Soldier" (Estimate $7,000 - 10,000) Philip Pearlstein`s "Model with Empire State Building" (Estimate $70,000 - 100,00) & Robert Fabelo`s "Cautiva" (Estimate $40,000 - 60,000).

                         

 I was happy to see spot a painting by Mark Tansey, one of my favorite artists. Above you can see his "View from Mt. Hermeneut" (oil on canvas, painted in 1991, Estimate $1,000,000 - 1,500,000).

Above David Salle`s "Swirl with Blue Torso" (Estimate $70,000 - 100,000) & Roberto Matta`s "Le responsable de l'optimisme" (Estimate $50,000 - 60,000).

Above Dana Schutz`s "Signing" (Estimate $250,000 - 350,000 ) followed by Christina Quarles`s "Moon (Lez Go Out N`Feel Tha Night" (Estimate S50.000 -70.000), David Wojnarowski`s "Untitled" (Estimate $80,000 - 120,000) & Tomoo Gokita`s  "Our Aniversary" (Estimate $ 250,000 - 350,000).

Above Tom Wesselmann´s "Cut-out Nude Study" (Estimate $100,000 -150,000) followed by George Condo`s "Gold Nute" (Estimate $300,000-400,000) & Fernando Botero`s "Mother and child" (Estimate $350,000 - 500,000 ). These artists all belong to the auction standards.

They had some superstars of course. Above the ubiquitous Jean-Michel Basquiat with his "Self Portrait" (oil, acrylic, oilstick, graphite and pen on paper collage on wood with metal attachments, in 2 parts, executed in 1983, Estimate 9,000,000 - 12,000,000 ) and Andy Warhol`s "David Hockney" (acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas, executed in 1974, Estimate $400,000 - 600,000).

Above Richard Estes` lovely "Turkey Landscape" (Estimate $40,000 - 60,000).

Above Juan Genovés wonderful "Cumbre" (Estimate $80,000 - $120,000).

Above "Birdland" by Ross Bleckner (Estimate: $50,000 - 70,000)

Above the fascinating "Surface to Air" by Michael Bevilacqua (Estimate $20,000 -30,000)

Some artists show humor: "Popular Toys" by Tala Mandani (2013, oil on linen, Estimate: $15,000-20,000) & "Knowledge of the Past is the Key to the Future: The Original" by Robert Colescott  (acrylic on canvas, Painted in 1984., Estimate $300,000 - 500,000) .

Above "Trois Baigneuses" by Armando Morales (oil and beeswax on canvas, executed in 1993, Estimate $70,000 - 90,000).

I also like Harold Ancar´s "Untitled" (Estimate $80,000-120,000)

 Above Robert Graham`s "Source Figure" (Estimate $60,000 - 80,000) & George Segal`s "Woman with Sunglasses on Bench" (Estimate $250,000 - 350,000).

To be continued