ACCORDING TO HERITAGE SPECIALISTS, THE TALENTS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THIS YEAR INCLUDE A CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN PAINTER IN THE MIDST OF A MARKET MOMENT AND A STABLE OF POP ART STAPLES
By Andrew Nodell
With the new year comes new opportunities for art collectors in every category. For some artists, 2024 is already off to an auspicious start. While values continue to rise for works by household names like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, less widely known talents, such as contemporary artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and 20th-century illustrator J.F. Kernan, are also seeing increased interest. For a glimpse into the current art market, we asked Heritage Auctions’ seasoned team of specialists for their thoughts on artists who are sure to garner more attention throughout 2024.
Ernie Barnes, ‘Quintet,’ circa 1989. Sold for $645,000 in a May 2023 Heritage auction.
American Art
“In the realm of American Art, one artist currently experiencing a remarkable surge in market value is Ernie Barnes – a name that, until now, has remained relatively underappreciated in the art world. The growing interest in Black Art has undoubtedly contributed to this surge, but Barnes’ unique interpretation of African American life sets him apart. Contrary to many Harlem Renaissance artists who depicted struggles and hardships, Barnes chose to celebrate the beauty and soulfulness of Black life in America. His distinctive style and uplifting message are resonating with the art community, as evidenced by his robust sales figures. For instance, a Barnes painting auctioned by Heritage in May 2023 fetched $645,000, a substantial increase from its 2019 auction price of $34,160. This is indicative of the exceptional market growth for Barnes’ work. Additionally, illustrator J.F. Kernan’s works have started to attract six-figure prices, signaling a shift in market perception toward what was previously considered ‘minor’ art.” –Aviva Lehmann, Senior Vice President, American Art
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, ‘Night Catches Day,’ 1985. Sold for $447,000 in a May 2023 Heritage auction.
American & Western Art
“Native American artists are gaining notable attention, with contemporary artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith being a prime example. Her work is in high demand, as illustrated by a major retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York last year. Heritage had the privilege of handling several significant pieces by Quick-to-See Smith this past year, each selling for substantial six-figure amounts, far exceeding their pre-sale estimates. This includes Night Catches Day from 1985, which sold for $447,000 against a $15,000-$25,000 estimate. Many other contemporary artists depicting Native American subjects have also seen an increase in market records, including John Nieto, Fritz Scholder, Paul Pletka and Earl Biss.” –Alissa Ford, Vice President, American & Western Art
Fernando Botero, ‘Cavallo con Sella,’ 2011. Sold for $765,000 in a November 2023 Heritage auction.
Modern & Contemporary Art
“Fernando Botero sadly passed away in 2023 and his work has seen a significant uptick in interest. His public sculptures are already in every major city, but there is now more opportunity to add a Botero work to your collection. We sold two large sculptures by the Colombian artist in a November 2023 auction with a lot of excitement. Another artist to watch is Refik Anadol, who is known for his pioneering work in the field of media arts, particularly in using data and artificial intelligence to create immersive and dynamic digital environments, challenging the boundaries between physical and virtual space. Anadol’s 2022 work Unsupervised — Machine Hallucinations was acquired by New York’s Museum of Modern Art, perhaps bridging the gap between digital and traditional art.” –Taylor Curry, Director, Modern & Contemporary Art, New York
Keith Haring, ‘Andy Mouse,’ 1986. Sold for $945,000 in an October 2023 Heritage auction.
Prints & Multiples
“As we enter the first quarter of 2024, we’re seeing a lot of focus on tried-and-true blue-chip artists. This includes Pop Art staples like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring and Tom Wesselmann – all of whom will be represented in upcoming Heritage auctions. Their value will continue to stay strong. Others to watch in Prints & Multiples are legacy artists – think Picasso and Dali. In terms of contemporary working artists, Black artists will continue to do well, with Kehinde Wiley’s values continuing to rise. We are also seeing a renaissance in works by female printmakers. Helen Frankenthaler, Agnes Martin and Joan Mitchell are all hot right now. They were overshadowed when they were working, and now they’re being recognized to be just as strong as, or stronger than, their male contemporaries.” –Rebecca Van Norman, Consignment Director, Prints & Multiples
David Bates, ‘Cannas,’ 2000. Sold for $175,000 in a June 2023 Heritage auction.
Texas Art
“Prices for Early Texas artists are holding steady right now, but we have some living Texas artists to keep your eye on at auction. David Bates continues to be one to watch. The prices of his Texas paintings have continued to rise since his official retirement, which was a genius career move. Other artists of his generation to keep an eye on are Melissa Miller, Terry Allen, Dennis Blagg, Nancy Lamb and Billy Hassell. Additionally, younger contemporary artists like Robyn O’Neil, for whom we recently broke a world auction record, are also gaining popularity at auction.” –Atlee Phillips, Director, Texas Art
ANDREW NODELL is a contributor to Intelligent Collector.