Posts of Artscapy Ltd RSSWed, 21 Jan 2026 16:19:02 GMTFrom expectations to market realityWhen collectors consider selling an artwork, one question tends to dominate:“What could this realistically sell for today?”Too often, expectations are anchored to the price paid, an old auction result, or informal guidance that isn’t grounded in current market conditions. This gap between expectation and reality is one of the main sources of friction in the selling process.Our AI Estimates have been built and designed to introduce a data-led reference point at this stage — before decisions are made, and before commitments are required. Not a promise. Not a guarantee. A clearer view of market reality.What “liquid market value” means when sellingWhen selling an artwork, value isn’t theoretical — it’s practical.In this context, liquid market value refers to an indicative view of what the market is paying today, based on comparable transactions and importantly for sellers, what a sale would likely realise net, after typical market dynamics are taken into account. It helps collectors assess what outcomes are realistic within current conditions, rather than ideal scenarios.This lens is different from:Insurance valuesRetail or gallery pricingPeak prices achieved in exceptional circumstancesFor sellers, liquid market value is about optionality and timing, understanding whether now is the right moment to sell, and at what level.When we talk about value in this context, we’re referring specifically to liquid market value, an indicative view of what the market is paying today, based on comparable transactions. That distinction matters.Liquid value is different from:Insurance valueRetail or gallery pricingThe highest price an artwork might achieve under ideal conditionsIt’s a pragmatic lens. One that helps collectors think clearly about timing, optionality, and next steps.How AI Estimates workAI Estimates are designed to be rigorous without being opaque.At their core, they analyse historic auction sales for comparable artworks, focusing on the... Read more

]]>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:19:02 GMT2025: closing accountsThe global art market continues to reveal its resilience as auction houses report robust sales figures, signalling a revived confidence among collectors and market participants. According to recent announcements, Christie’s and Sotheby’s ended 2025 with impressive sales of $6.2 billion and a projected $7 billion, respectively. These figures highlight a renewed vigour in the market, likely buoyed by strategic moves such as Sotheby’s Breuer building opening and the sale of high-profile 'trophy works'. This resurgence in market activity points to a growing demand for blue-chip artworks and suggests an increasingly competitive landscape as collectors vie for top-tier pieces.Auction dynamics remain a focal point of the market, with both Christie’s and Sotheby’s exhibiting significant growth in sales. Christie's 2025 performance, totalling $6.2 billion, reflects a market on the rise, while Sotheby's anticipates a 17% sales jump driven by new strategic openings and high-value listings. These results indicate a refined targeting of wealthy buyers and a focus on blockbuster pieces capable of commanding multi-million-dollar prices. The broader auction environment clearly evidences a competitive streak, as market players position themselves to capitalise on ongoing buyer appetite for iconic artworks.Beyond auctions, there is notable activity in the gallery and institutional sectors. The British Museum's strategic hire of a specialist to recover stolen artefacts underscores a commitment to preserving cultural heritage, highlighting the interplay between institutional ethos and market trends. Meanwhile, shifts such as the recruitment of influencers and OnlyFans models for artist visas in the U.S. hint at evolutions in gallery and artist representation landscapes, with implications for how cultural producers are recognised and valued.On the artist and collector front, nuances in art market dynamics become apparent. Leslie Wexner's public denial of involvemen... Read more

]]>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 13:54:28 GMTThis year’s Photo London came with the celebration of their 10th anniversary at the iconic Somerset House. A must for collectors paying attention to photography’s growing momentum, the photography fair brought together a curated selection of leading galleries and artists, while placing a spotlight on emerging and rediscovered artists. The 2025 roster reflected a growing commitment to the emerging category in contemporary photography, charting a compelling journey through the medium’s past, present, and future. The spirit of experimentation and material innovation was one of the fair’s particularly engaging aspects. Many of the featured artists engage with photography not only as a visual medium but also as a tactile, spatial, and conceptual tool to explore themes of memory, transformation, nature, and the body. We host daily VIP tours for our members, uncovering standout works from both rising talents and established names in photography. Susanne WellmDanish artist Susanne Wellm draws from an archive of both personal and found imagery to create nostalgic, cinematic atmospheres in her Humble Eyes (2023-2024) series. These works showcase her innovative fusion of photography with textile weaving, featuring photographs digitally printed onto woven textile supports. The resulting textural effect invites viewers to pause, evoking natural elements that inspire stillness and reflection.Alicia PazAlicia Paz experiments with textiles in her photographic work Necklace-Tassel (2023). The Mexican-London based artist recently completed an artist residency at Chatsworth house. Paz draws inspiration from ornamental materials such as tassels found throughout the estate. She transfers photographic and photogram images onto delicate fabrics to create a layered mixed media composition. Infused with a sense of theatricality, she describes the work as playing with scale and evoking an ‘Alice in Wonderland ’-like effect, inviting viewers into a tactile, surreal, and immersive visual langu... Read more

]]>Tue, 27 May 2025 11:19:30 GMTFrom the Auction House to Outer SpaceIn 2018, Amoako Boafo’s Hands Up sold for over 2.6 million pounds at a Christie’s auction, setting a world record for the artist. Just three years later, he was commissioned to paint the parachute panels on top of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket ship. The three pieces - Self Portrait with Pink Tulips (2021), Shormeh’s Gold Earrings (2021), and White and Gold Head Wrap (2021) made up Boafo’s Suborbital Triptych and travelled to space, returning intact eleven minutes later.Gagosian Retrospective: A Return to Roots Through PortraitureNow, Boafo presents his first London retrospective at the Gagosian. Titled I Do Not Come to You by Chance after Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s 2009 novel of the same name, this exhibition is anchored by portraits of the artist's family and community as he re-examines Western understanding of contemporary Africa and African diaspora. Born in Accra, Ghana, in 1984, Boafo’s work is rooted in celebrating African identity through portraiture. His subjects are often friends, family and members of his wider community, who are depicted, striking expressive poses, with their direct gaze establishing a connection with the viewer.Reconstructing Memory Through SpaceIn this exhibition, Boafo invites the audience further into his world through a full-scale re-creation of the courtyard of his childhood home in Ghana. By recreating this space, he shares memories of growing up and the moments that shaped the foundation of his practice. It also reflects on the many communal spaces such as shared studios, he was invited to collaborate creatively in his early years, which played a vital role in developing his skills. Honouring Matriarchal InfluenceStepping into the dark, immersive walls of this recreated courtyard within the stark white of the gallery offers a moment of sensory contrast. Raised by his mother, the space is adorned with canvas portraits of the women who shaped him. In White Lace Cape (2025), a woman stand... Read more

]]>Mon, 12 May 2025 12:08:57 GMTThe African art market is entering a period of transition, as highlighted in the latest market analysis report by ArtTactic created in collaboration with Artscapy. This report marks a continued effort to deliver transparency and data-driven insights to art collectors and investors worldwide, offering essential guidance to navigate a changing market landscape.Focusing on modern and contemporary African Women Artists, the report captures the nuances of an evolving sector—one marked by rising participation, growing gender parity, and the emerging importance of private sales.The full report is available to buy and download here. Create an account with Artscapy to read our highlights below and use the code Artscapy10Member for 10% off ArtTactic membership to access the full report.Paywall: Ind. Art Advisor, Standard, Light, Club, Artscapy One, Artscapy Core Member, ALLABOUTART, Emerging, Gallery tier 1, Museum, Dealer Premium, Dealer, Artist free, Artist Plus, Artist One[26-3-25-11-20-24-13-10-15-18-16-21-19-22-23]The collector base is wideningOne of the most important takeaways is the expansion of the collector base for African women artists. This is highlighted by the number of lots offered by these artists growing by close to 35% to reach a 10-year high. At the same time, the significant contraction in sales value of 49.2% reflects a shift from higher into lower value sales. This growing volume, particularly at lower price points, suggests that the market is attracting a wider pool of buyers. Artworks sold for under $10,000 made up nearly 87.9% of all lots sold, indicating sustained auction interest even as average lot values dropped.Auction caution and volatility foster a move into private salesHigher-value lots—particularly those priced above $1 million—saw a sharp contraction in 2024, with sales in this segment down by 55.1%. The decline highlights the challenges facing the upper tier of the market, where buyer confidence has weakened and selectivity has incre... Read more

]]>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMTDamien Hirst is an artist who continually remains in the limelight of the contemporary art scene.  The famous artist who infamously placed a tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde as a reflection of life and death has never been shy to push the boundaries of art and in doing so, creating controversy. In large part because of this controversy and his ability to innovatively touch on universal themes of human existence, Hirst is widely regarded as a blue chip cornerstone artist among collectors worldwide.  Over the past twenty years, Hirst has expanded his collector reach by releasing multiple edition prints of his original artworks, thereby providing works at a lower price point than the typical 7-figure that his originals command.  Increasing accessibility further, since the 2021 release of the “Virtues”, prints are now made available through timed releases, with edition sizes determined by demand, as opposed to predetermined editions of say 50 or 100. These timed releases have resulted in the whopping emergence of 15,333 “Empresses” (2022), and over 4,000 “Seascapes” editions (full series title: “Where the Land meets the Sea”, 2023). What are the market implications of these timed releases? Have they been well-received by the market and hold value or are there signs of oversupply? We let data tell the story. The argument for well-received The first argument for why the editions would hold value stems from Damien Hirst’s reputation and standing as one of the most well known and recognised contemporary artists currently active. His latest print release, “Secrets”, just closed its timed sales release, while his La Coste Chateau takeover opens its doors on the 2nd of March 2024. Every few months, there has been a new project released by the artist. The institutional acclaim, as found in world-leading collections like Tate or MoMA with frequent solo shows, combined with continuous market appearances means that Hirst remains appealing on the market. This susta... Read more

]]>Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:53:19 GMTDamien Hirst is an iconic artist who has left an indelible mark on contemporary British art. Provocative and prolific, with astonishing multimillion yearly auction records, Hirst is on many collectors’ minds, wish lists, and walls.  His continued relevance in 2023 was marked by several appearances: at fairs, as the highlight of the Gagosian booth at Frieze; and through expository takeovers at Phillips’ Berkeley Square townhouse and Gagosian’s Britannia Street. You can learn more about Damien Hirst, the YBA (Young British Artists) trailblazer. Hirst is an artist who carries a hefty price tag for original works and commands long waitlists. Because of this, the artist’s releases of editioned artworks have found their way into thousands of collections all over the world due to their relatively more accessible price points. Currently, his latest series, alluringly named the ‘Secrets’, based on the artworks shown at Frieze are available to buy in the primary market.  From an investment standpoint, Hirst multiples are considered blue chip additions. But how have they performed over time? Does it matter which work or series you buy?  As it turns out, not all Hirst are created equal. In a series of analyses conducted by our art specialist team, we dive into the world of Hirst multiples, starting with the February 2022 release of the “Empresses,” in time for their second anniversary on the market. This series combines Hirst’s archetypal motif of kaleidoscopic arrangements of fiery red butterflies with a strong narrative around female empowerment and timeless themes of love, war, power, joy, and anger encapsulated in a series of five works aptly named after five influential female rulers. Released for a limited period of time priced at $3,500 (or about £2,800 at the time), the ultimate edition size of each work was determined by the number of purchase orders made, and the final edition ranges across the works from 2,814 to 3,315, with a total of 15,333 Empresses sol... Read more

]]>Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:30:40 GMTWhile KAWS’ sculptures initially exude a playful and toy-like aesthetic, a closer observation confronts us with fragility embedded in some of the vulnerable postures of the characters. “Companionship in the Age of Loneliness” (2019), currently available on Artscapy, features KAWS’ iconic Companion character affectionately holding a toy-like body in his arms. Rendered in the artist’s recognisable graphic style, the scene touches on the themes of friendship and togetherness, inviting us to reflect on the intricacy of building connections in the modern age. Here is what to know about KAWS and his characters’ dialogue with the issues of contemporary culture and society: It Starts With a Tag  Before rising to the status of an iconic pop artist and designer, KAWS was primarily immersed in the urban fabric of his native New Jersey. The original sign of his creative presence in the public space was a tag disseminated on buildings and objects. Consisting simply of the letters ‘KAWS’, the tag represents the origins of the artist’s creative evolution. Choosing letters based on the way they interacted with each other, rather than what they may mean, the artist established a signature that has gradually risen to the level of a brand name.  Vulnerability and Companionship In his Models collection featuring Kate Moss, KAWS famously subverted traditional advertisement photographs, inserting the Companion as an integral part of the image. In the 2001 series of five photographs, Companion coils itself around the model, as if offering protection against the public gaze falling on the exposed body. KAWS uses his character both in the context of playful pop gestures and as a shelter from the public eye; an element that shields the exposed body and wards off external projections of femininity. ‘A Skull Is a Skull in Every Culture’ Often infused with a cartoonish aesthetic, the skull in KAWS’ works speaks to the questions of mortality, transformations of the human body, and th... Read more

]]>Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:48:37 GMTWith over 120 galleries showcasing modern and contemporary art, photography, sculpture and large-scale installations, this year's London Art Fair brings together a wide range of creative expressions. Among the many booths that captivate visitors, here are our favourites: 1. Tin Man Art: Celebrating Nature and Human Connection Tin Man Art takes centre stage with a focus on female and non-binary artists, celebrating nature, femininity, life, death, and birth. The booth radiates warmth with an abundance of colour, offsetting the winter's bleakness.  Names featured in the booth include Stanley Donwood, known for collaborating with Thom Yorke, and emerging artist Zach Toppin. Spanning across painting, drawing and sculpture, Toppin’s work explores queer histories, the potency of touch, and the feelings of familiarity, belonging and connection involved in human encounters. In one of the paintings showcased at the booth, an anonymous hand cradles an oyster shell above a wooden table featuring a wine glass, a lit cigarette, a hammer, tabasco sauce, and Leslie Feinberg's ‘Stone Butch Blues’. Bringing those diverse elements together, Toppin celebrates curiosity about mundane surfaces; the sensations and tactile materials surrounding life’s quiet, solitary moments. 2. Jealous Gallery: A Multilayered Art Experience Jealous Gallery, based in Shoreditch, represents an engaging fusion of gallery and screenprinting studio. One standout piece at the fair is 'A Pale Blue Dot' by William Kingett. This four-colour screenprint, printed on individual sheets of acid-free glassine paper, layers intricately to create a mesmerising final work. The booth boasts new works from a range of artists, including David Shrigley, Ben Kelly, Charming Baker, and others. The innovative use of materials, combined with the variety of styles and techniques present across the booth, make Jealous Gallery a dynamic and multilayered art experience. 3. KOOP Project: A Journey Through Contemporary Afric... Read more

]]>Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:36:52 GMTThe visual power of “Untitled (Littmann 62)” (1986) lies in its multilayered character. In this work, Keith Haring utilises the whole space of the image to create an ambiguous figure whose body sprawls across directions, as if evolving before the viewer’s eyes. The composition is characterised by a sense of metamorphosis: individual bodies overlap and merge in unexpected places, contributing to an overarching shape that hovers between the human and the monstrous.  What Is the Dominant Force in “Untitled (Littmann 62)”? Vocal about the issues of militarisation, environmentalism and inequality, Haring’s art often moves towards scenarios that foreshadow the pitfalls of a progress-oriented world. “Untitled (Littmann 62)” embodies the critical dimension of Haring’s art, presenting a mutant figure, in relation to which, the surrounding headless bodies constitute the image of a conquered humanity. Captured in Haring’s signature curved lines, the headless figures meander toward the central circular point, gripped by a force that seems to both attract and devour them.  Much like in “Flowers II” (1990) or “Art Attack On Aids” (1988), the human creatures in the print appear weakened and subordinate. In his book "Heaven and Hell", Ralph Melcher defines the key topics of Haring's art as 'power and threat, death and deliverance, religion, sexuality, heaven and hell', emphasising that 'these subjects do not appear in isolation from each other, but interact and almost inevitably overlap one another'1. Even among those more bleak visions, there is a hidden element of hope to be found in Haring’s art. With an outsized body supported on weak bones instead of legs, the vision of domination in  “Untitled (Littmann 62)” appears unstable, suggesting an alternative, better order could still arise.  Why Is Rhythm Important?  The themes of Haring’s works are not limited to sociocritical aspects. His artworks serve as a complex record of a personal world, with interests such as dance... Read more

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