The Artsy Advisor Notebook: February 2024
In this monthly series, we gather thoughts and highlights from Artsy’s in-house art experts on what they’re seeing, looking forward to, and enjoying in the art world this month.
What we’re noticing
Warholian rhapsody
“Is the Andy Warhol market still strong? Is it worth investing in the artist at this moment?” These are some of the questions I’ve often heard when talking with collectors and dealers since the start of 2024. Warhol’s market is often seen as a benchmark through which to understand the status of the art market broadly, which is especially interesting now after a challenging 2023.
Warhol is one of the most traded artists on Artsy; his market consists mainly of prints and it is driven by volume. Since the record-breaking sale of Shot Sage Blue Marilyn (1964) in May 2022, the artist’s market has gained increasing attention.
So, where do you start collecting Warhol? And how do you find the best works? My advice is to always look for quality works that are in relatively good condition for their age, and have a reputable provenance. Interestingly, complete portfolios are high in demand amongst collectors, especially rare subjects like Marilyn Monroe and more socially engaged works like the the “Endangered Species” series.
One place to start is the sale “100 Warhols: An Artsy Exclusive from Revolver Gallery’s Collection,” which runs through March 15th and features a Warhol for every taste. And if you’re in London, Halcyon Gallery is presenting “Beyond the Brand” until April, which is showcasing some of Warhol’s iconic 1980s advertisements for the first time in the U.K.
—Daniela Bianco-Duppen, Senior Private Sales Advisor, London
What we're anticipating
In focus at Frieze L.A.
Exterior view of Frieze Los Angeles, 2023. Photo by Casey Kelbaugh. Courtesy of Casey Kelbaugh and Frieze.
I am thrilled to return to Los Angeles for this year’s edition of Frieze L.A. With so many moving parts leading up to a vibrant fair week, I am most excited for the fresh discoveries in Frieze’s Focus section, a curated portion of the tent reserved for galleries founded within the last 12 years. This is where you can find select solo presentations of emerging and underrepresented artists. Curator Essence Harden—fresh off her announcement as co-curator of the Hammer Museum’s 2025 Made in L.A. biennial—organizes this year’s Focus section around the theme of ecology.
Artists to watch include Akea Brionne, a textile artist based in Detroit, presented by Lyles and King. The artist was recently named in Forbes’s 30 Under 30 list of 2024, and creates intricate surrealistic tapestries using a digital loom. Elsewhere, Make Room is exhibiting a new body of work by Yeni Mao, a Chinese American sculptor based in Mexico City who pairs steel plates alongside porcelain and volcanic rock to investigate tunnel systems embedded along the U.S.–Mexico border.
Also worth keeping an eye on is Javier Ramirez’s new group of paintings and sculptures with Sow & Tailor, which explores the legacy of Japanese and Latino workers on the suburban landscapes of Los Angeles. OCHI, a favorite gallery of mine, will also present vibrant new paintings by Lilian Martinez, who depicts playful everyday vignettes of women at ease.
With 12 solo booth presentations in total, Focus is poised to provide refreshing depth and richness of artists’ practices amid the larger gallery enterprises on view next week.
—Caroline Perkins, Private Sales Advisor, New York
A new London gallery to watch
Jennifer Carvalho, Adoration of the Magi (Sacrifice), 2023. Courtesy of Palmer Gallery.
I’m thrilled about the upcoming launch of Palmer Gallery in London in March. Founded by art advisor Will Hainsworth and art historian Lucas Giles, the gallery is situated near Marylebone in an old factory building (close to Lisson Gallery), and the space was once operated by the Palmer Tyre Company during World War II. Palmer Gallery will focus its program on cross-disciplinary art, and promises to be an intriguing space.
I’m particularly eager to explore its opening exhibition, featuring the incredible work of Canadian artist Jennifer Carvalho. Her remarkable paintings left a lasting impression on me at Frieze London in 2022, where her booth with Helena Anrather Gallery sold out. The artist had a solo show with the gallery last year, and the upcoming show at Palmer marks her first exhibition in London since appearing at Frieze. I can’t wait to experience it in this new and exciting space.
—Itziar Ramos Ricoy, Senior Advisor, Auctions and Private Sales, London
The Artists We're Loving
SOCKO
One artist on my radar is New York–based South Korean artist SOCKO (Sae Hoon Jang). With a playful and colorful aesthetic, including his recurring character Dough, the artist is known for expressing a wide array of emotions through childlike imagery and nostalgia. The textural nature of SOCKO’s works is notable: There are often heavier layers of paint where it pops out on the surface, bringing a more lively and three-dimensional feel.
As SOCKO has been honing his craft, he has begun working with other mediums including concrete, small- and large-scale resin and wood sculptures, and apparel. The apparel came from his love of fashion and art; an upcoming wool varsity jacket is handmade from a factory in South Korea that belongs to his family, who have been in the clothing industry for more than 40 years.
I initially connected with the artist through Instagram, and had the pleasure of meeting him in person at his debut solo exhibition in New York last year at Long Story Short Gallery. He previously had a pair of solo shows in Los Angeles with Kantor Gallery and Lorin Gallery in 2022, as well as a show at VLAB Gallery in 2023.
SOCKO will be having another solo show titled “Eye to Eye” at A Hug from the Art World gallery in New York this March.
—Alan Zeng, Senior Specialist, Global Head of Street Art, New York
