Sotheby's Unveils Full Auction Highlights for $1 Billion Marquee Sale Week

Left to right: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Now’s the Time, est. in excess of $30 million;

Vincent van Gogh, Jardin devant le Mas Debray, est. $20/30 million;

Yoshitomo Nara, Haze Days, est. $12/18 million;

On 18 May, Sotheby’s will present two evening sales for Contemporary Art: the Contemporary Evening Auction and The Now Evening Auction. Monumental masterpieces highlight the Contemporary Evening Auction: Louise Bourgeois’ towering Spider – appearing at auction for the first time and on offer with an estimate of $30–40 million, the highest ever for a work by the artist; and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s monumental ode to jazz Now’s the Time, estimated to achieve in excess of $30 million and coming to auction for the first time in the four decades since it was created; and Gerhard Richter’s 4096 Farben, the final painting of the artist’s coveted early Color Chart series, estimated to achieve $18–25 million. The sale is rounded out by a selection of works by important female artists, such as Howardena Pindell, Eva Hesse, Barbara Kruger and Vija Celmins; important Minimalist examples, including works by Brice Marden, Donald Judd, Dan Flavin and Carl Andre; and a remarkable selection of sculpture by Jeff Koons, Louise Bourgeois, Dan Flavin, John Chamberlain, and more.  

Immediately preceding the Contemporary Evening Auction is This Now. This May, the auction combines masterworks by critically acclaimed artists such as Yoshitomo Nara with the best of newly emerging artists such as Portia Zvavahera, Louise Bonnet and Julien Nguyen. The auction features a strong showing of women artists such as Njideka Akunyili Crosby, María Berrío and Elizabeth Peyton, while Nicole Eisenman and Simone Leigh critically reassess the canonical traditions of art history with a critical focus on representation. Also highlighting the sale are works representing multiple generations of Black artists, from Jadé Fadojutimi to Kerry James Marshall, showcasing a range of styles and themes. Taken together, the auction traces the arc of artistic production of this century and examines many of the prevailing themes addressed by artists today, forming a dynamic portrait of the trends that invigorate the art and culture of our time. This May, all but 2 works will appear at auction for the first time.