🔥 Lots to Watch - 3 April 2024

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HEY Y’ALL! 🔥

Thanks for all the great feedback from the lots I shared last Wednesday!

📈 Top Picks from the Last Issue:

#1: Kitti Narod, Diversity in the Pool, 2019 sold for $32,456, (154% over the estimate)

#2: Jonathan Chapline, Palm Springs, 2019 sold for $45,438, (256% over the estimate)

#3: Ulala Imai, Brothers, 2020 sold for $27,588, (73% over the estimate)

I’m excited to share 5 artists and lots worth checking out for this week.

Today’s issue is sponsored by Ryse, a pioneering company in home automation.

1) Guy Yanai

• 📍 Bio: Israeli, b. 1977

• 📊 Price Range: $15,000 - $20,000

• 💰 Record Price: $137,839 for Standard West Hollywood, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2023.

• 🥂 Representation: KÖNIG GALERIE

• 🌎 Main Market: Hong Kong & U.K

💭 My 2 Cents: Guy Yanai's art is seeing remarkable market dynamics, with a noticeable uptick in both sales volume and prices. In 2023, a total of 24 artworks found buyers, leading into 2024 with already 5 pieces sold. This momentum is mirrored in the pricing arena, with an average sale price climbing to $37,129.80 in 2024, showcasing a solid market demand for Yanai's creations. A standout piece, painted in 2020 and sold through China Guardian Hong Kong, exemplifies this trend. Originating from the Praz-Delavallade Gallery in Los Angeles and now in the hands of a private Asian collector, it represents Yanai's signature style—blocks of vibrant colors forming tranquil, memory-laden landscapes. With prices ranging significantly ($11,273 to $97,429 in 2024 alone), this piece's market performance could potentially exceed expectations, fueled by Yanai's growing recognition and the robust demand for his works. For collectors eyeing Yanai, now might be an opportune moment to invest, given the ascending trajectory of his market value and the broad appeal of his unique artistic language.

2) Katherine Bradford

• 📍 Bio: American, b. 1942

• 📊 Price Range: $13,000 - $20,000

• 💰 Record Price: $163,800 for Six Swimmer Ocean Swim, sold at Sotheby's New York in 2022.

• 🥂 Representation: Baldwin Contemporary, DC Moore Gallery, Marlborough

• 🌎 Main Market: U.S.

💭 My 2 Cents: The market for Katherine Bradford's art has seen fascinating dynamics, highlighted by a 23.17% decrease in average final prices in 2024, to $24,955.14, from a peak in 2023. Conversely, the estimated price midpoint has climbed steadily, suggesting continued market confidence. Bradford's Pool Kaleidoscope goes to auction carrying the narrative of her evolving acclaim. Born in 1942 and with a rich history of immersion in New York's and Maine's art scenes, Bradford has carved a distinctive niche. Her works, celebrated for blending abstraction with representational forms, often feature ethereal, swimming figures. This particular piece, painted in 2022, emerges from her acclaimed Swimming series, promising collectors a vibrant synthesis of human vulnerability and abstracted landscapes. Given the fluctuating market and her growing recognition, this auction presents an intriguing opportunity. The slight dip in 2024 prices might offer a strategic entry point for new and seasoned collectors alike, against the backdrop of her works' solid trajectory of appreciation. With her art's strong market interest and the ongoing rise in estimated values, Bradford's Pool Kaleidoscope stands out as a potentially savvy acquisition.

3) Marilyn Minter

• 📍 Bio: American, b. 1948

• 📊 Price Range: $12,000 - $15,000

• 💰 Record Price: $269,000 for Wave, sold at Phillips New York in 2015.

• 🥂 Representation: Lehmann Maupin

• 🌎 Main Market: U.S.

💭 My 2 Cents: Marilyn Minter's market shows signs of cautious optimism this year. Her sales volume has dipped in 2024, with only 7 pieces sold by April. Yet, prices are rebounding, notably higher than last year's. A standout is Simmer (2015). This chromogenic print encapsulates her distinct blend of beauty and distortion. Priced between $10,000 - $15,000, it's an attractive proposition. Why? Minter's work is riding a recovery wave, and Simmer, from an edition of just 5, offers exclusivity. Given her pieces are fetching at or above estimates, this piece stands out. It’s a solid pick in a mixed market.

4) Katherine Bernhardt

• 📍 Bio: American, b. 1975

• 📊 Price Range: $15,000 - $21,000

• 💰 Record Price: $401,298 for Untitled, sold at Christie's Hong Kong in 2022.

• 🥂 Representation: David Zwirner

• 🌎 Main Market: Hong Kong & U.S.

💭 My 2 Cents: Katherine Bernhardt's market has seen a lively trajectory, with sales climbing from modest beginnings to 95 lots sold in 2022 and 92 in 2023. Her vibrant, pop-culture-laden artworks resonate, showing no signs of slowing with 12 pieces already snapped up in 2024. A slight dip in average prices this year to $29,564 from 2022’s high doesn't detract from her appeal. It points to a vibrant, albeit fluctuating, market. The piece "Untitled" from 2016, vibrant with acrylic and spray paint, is a prime example of Bernhardt’s engaging style. With a provenance from Canada Gallery, it encapsulates her allure. Considering the steady ascent in both volume and price over the years, her works stand out as intriguing investments. The dynamism of her market, underscored by some sales exceeding estimates, signals potential for growth.

5) Ivy Haldeman

• 📍 Bio: American, b. 1985

• 📊 Price Range: $15,000 - $20,000

• 💰 Record Price: $176,400 USD for Colossus, Lips, Two Fingers Enter Left, Toes Touch Top, sold at Sotheby's New York in 2022.

• 🥂 Representation: François Ghebaly, Tara Downs

• 🌎 Main Market: U.S.

💭 My 2 Cents: Ivy Haldeman's art, vibrant with its critique on gender norms and capitalist symbols, mirrors the fluctuating market for contemporary art. With sales peaking at 6 in 2022 before dropping to 5 in 2023, and a notable decline in average sale prices from $108,497 in 2021 to $16,510 in 2023, the market is clearly in a state of volatility. The 2024 outlook seems cautious, with only one artwork failing to sell so far. Yet, "Full Figure, Lean Back, Foot Tucked Away, Bun Reveals" stands out, not just for its intriguing title and substantial size but for Haldeman's unique blend of Pop art sensibilities and mid-century graphic aesthetics. Its provenance from Daniel Benjamin Gallery and placement in notable collections hint at underlying value. This artwork represents an opportune moment for collectors. Amidst market adjustments, Haldeman's works might be acquired below their initial high valuations, offering a chance to engage with a critical voice in contemporary art at a potentially lower entry point. Keep an eye on stabilization signs, as they could herald a market rebound for Haldeman's insightful pieces.

See you next Wednesday!

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🔗 Market Stories

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Discover how the de la Cruz collection's upcoming sale is stirring the art market. Marking the end of an era for Miami's art scene (link)

April 2024 heralds a bounty of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers: residencies, grants, open calls, and more (link)