Basquiat’s Meteoric Canvas and the Auction Night That Rewrote the Scorecard

A single Basquiat painting can electrify a room—and last night in New York, his Untitled (ELMAR) did just that, commanding $46.5 million and setting the pace for Phillips’s Modern and Contemporary Art sale. The auction’s total reached $86.3 million, right within expectations, despite some high-profile withdrawals, including a Picasso and a Milton Avery, which reshuffled the evening’s lineup at the last minute. While big names like Frank Stella and Robert Mangold saw their works passed over, the spotlight shifted to rising talents. Canadian Cree artist Kent Monkman shattered his own auction record, with The Storm (2020) selling for $381,000—more than triple his previous high. Meanwhile, Jadé Fadojutimi’s vibrant The Pour (2022) soared past its estimate, fetching $1 million. From headline-grabbing Basquiats to breakthrough moments for emerging voices, the night proved that the art market’s pulse beats strongest where tradition and surprise collide. #Basquiat #ArtAuctions #ContemporaryArt #Culture