Phillips Offers Contemporary Art by Mickalene Thomas, Titus Kaphar, Christopher Wool, and More

The upcoming New Now sale, presented by Phillips, samples from the cutting edge of ultra-contemporary art. Notable works include a mixed media on canvas by Mickalene Thomas and a mixed media on etched magnesium by Frank Stella. Thomas’ available work is titled Clarivel #7 and was executed in 2019. Like many of Thomas’ paintings and collages, this work is a celebration of beauty, individuality, and confidence. To depict a woman easily reclining on a chaise lounge, the present work uses shades of gray and tan, as well as techniques borrowed from Cubism, Impressionism, and Blaxploitation cinema. 

Titus Kaphar’s Both King and Accomplice will also cross the auction block this March. This 2008 piece is composed of an oil on canvas painting, a tar-covered steel container, and a wood base. The black container partially obscures a portrait of a white man wearing a hat. Kaphar’s art often handles themes of both rewriting and obscuring history. Kaphar considers these issues by covering his subjects or adding voids to mark the absence of Black figures in Western art history. The upcoming Phillips event will highlight additional works by Robert Nava, Christopher Wool, and Emma Webster. A selection of lots in the catalog will benefit Foster Pride, a nonprofit organization that empowers and supports teenagers in foster care. To browse the New Now auction and register to bid, visit Phillips.