10 In-Demand Works on Artsy This Week: April 15, 2021

In this weekly series, Artsy’s Curatorial and Editorial teams offer a look at the artworks that are currently gaining traction among collectors on Artsy. Looking at our internal data, we share a selection of works that Artsy members are engaging with through inquiries, page views, and saves, plus promising lots in current auctions. The following pieces are culled from recent online auctions and art fairs hosted on Artsy, as well as exhibitions and works added by our gallery partners.

Aboudia, Portrait de Famille (2013)

Keeping pace with Aboudia’s secondary-market hot streak, this 2013 work by the artist has received a flurry of inquiries since it was uploaded to Artsy in early April by Milan’s LIS10 Gallery. The Ivorian artist was recently featured in an Artsy Editorial story on artists with breakout moments at auction this past March; all of Aboudia’s top 10 auction records were set in 2021. This secondary-market success was reinforced this past week at Sotheby’s “Contemporary Curated” sale, where two works by Aboudia sold for over six times their combined estimates.

Browse available works by Aboudia.

Derrick Adams, Petite Floater 23 (2020)

Demand has been high for this joyful Derrick Adams work from his “Floater” series. The painting is one of two works on paper by Adams that were featured in Rhona Hoffman Gallery’s EXPO CHGO ONLINE presentation. Adams is also currently the subject of a solo exhibition at the Momentary in Bentonville, Arkansas. Titled “Derrick Adams: Sanctuary,” the exhibition takes inspiration from the Jim Crow–era travel guide The Negro Motorist Green Book to reimagine safe spaces for Black travelers.

Browse available works by Derrick Adams.

Beatriz Milhazes, Casa de Maria (1992)

This painting by the Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes is also making waves at EXPO CHGO ONLINE. Uploaded as part of the São Paulo–based gallery Almeida e Dale Galeria de Arte’s presentation, the work is a prime example of Milhazes’s deft ability to seamlessly meld together elements of design and nature.

Browse available works by Beatriz Milhazes.

Johnson Eziefula, Ubah in the Aloha shirt (2021)

After receiving a number of inquiries, this new work by the Nigerian artist Johnson Eziefula was recently put on hold at Ross-Sutton Gallery. The painting is currently featured in a striking two-person show at the gallery featuring works by Eziefula and fellow Lagos-based artist Adeboyega Adesina. The artists seek to capture the “bravery and confidence of today’s Lagos youth.”

Browse available works by Johnson Eziefula.

Bisa Butler, Nandi and Natalie (Friends) (2007)

This early textile work by Bisa Butler is in demand at Swann Auction Galleries’s “African American Art” sale. According to the auction house, the work is the first quilt by Butler to surface at auction, making it an exciting and unique collecting opportunity. The artist’s first solo museum exhibition is currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago. Titled “Bisa Butler: Portraits,” the exhibition celebrates Butler’s pioneering use of textiles and the tradition of quilting to explore Black identity.

Browse available works by Bisa Butler.

Alma Thomas, My Fall Garden (1969)

Works by Alma Thomas have also been receiving attention at Swann Auction Galleries’s “African American Art” sale. This watercolor painting is one of two works by Thomas from 1969 that are currently available through the auction. This particular work was originally given as a birthday card to Thomas’s sister; the inside bears the inscription: “Happy Birthday to my Sister, With Love, Alma.”

Browse available works by Alma Thomas.

Kehinde Wiley, After La Negresse, 1872 (2007)

Bids on this editioned bust by Kehinde Wiley have sent its price through the roof. Part of an edition of 250, in just five bids, the work had already reached more than double its $7,000 high estimate at Phillips’s “Editions & Works on Paper” sale. These results are made all the more significant when considering that the only other work from this edition to surface at auction sold for $6,500 back in 2018 at Swann Galleries, demonstrating the phenomenal appreciation of Wiley’s market.

Browse available works by Kehinde Wiley.

Shara Hughes, Split Ends (2016)

This print by Shara Hughes is steadily inching towards its $1,200 low estimate at Phillips’s “Editions & Works on Paper” sale. While the number of bids have been relatively low, the work has been saved by a number of users, demonstrating significant interest. Part of an edition of 50, the vibrant print is a masterful translation of the artist’s rich painting practice.

Browse available works by Shara Hughes.

Yoshitomo Nara, Haze Day (2002)

At Heritage’s “Signature Prints & Multiples” sale, bids on this etching by Yoshitomo Nara have reached squarely within the work’s $8,000 to $12,000 estimate. The auction doesn’t close until April 22nd, however, which leaves ample time for the work’s value to continue to climb. Another etching from this edition sold in 2012 for ¥752,375 ($9,812) at Mallet Japan.

Browse available works by Yoshitomo Nara.

Armand Boua, Untitled (2014)