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Karl Wirsum #1,699Blue-Chip

description Report
personAmerican, 1939–2021
palette

Selected Works266

Museum Acquisitions

Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
Whitney
MoMA
MoMA
NGA Washington
NGA Washington
NGA Washington
NGA Washington
NGA Washington
NGA Washington
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago

Previous Sales 41

Christie's
Untitled
Untitled
$22,680
Oct 2024
Christie's
Pumpkin Girl
Pumpkin Girl, 1976
$6,875
Jul 2015
Christie's
Three Masks
Three Masks
$4,750
Jul 2015
Christie's
Untitled
Untitled
$4,750
Jul 2015
Christie's
Standing Figure
Standing Figure
$112,500
Mar 2015
Christie's
All Puffed Up
All Puffed Up, 1970
$35,000
Jul 2014
Christie's
Sculpture E
Sculpture E, 1968
$16,250
Jul 2014
Christie's
Exceedo Tuxeedo
Exceedo Tuxeedo
€7,500 ($8k USD)
Oct 2013
Phillips
Untitled
Untitled
$12,900
Phillips
Count Fasco's Mouse Piece Whitey Jr. #2
Count Fasco's Mouse Piece Whitey Jr. #2
$10,320
Los Angeles Modern Auctions
Tonto Disguised as the Lone Ranger
Tonto Disguised as the Lone Ranger
$34,375
Sep 2018
Wright
Untitled (Walking Woman with Leg Options)
Untitled (Walking Woman with Leg Options)
$6,650
Jan 1970
Wright
Girl and Kite
Girl and Kite
$3,048
Jan 1970
Wright
Mr. Big Arms in a No Swipe Place
Mr. Big Arms in a No Swipe Place
$37,800
Jan 1970
Wright
O Bald Music at Dawn
O Bald Music at Dawn
$32,500
Jan 1970
Wright
Toboggan Toes
Toboggan Toes
$5,040
Jan 1970
Wright
Study for the painting Toot Toot Tutu Toodle-oo
Study for the painting Toot Toot Tutu Toodle-oo
$2,772
Jan 1970
Wright
Untitled (Robot Figure)
Untitled (Robot Figure)
$4,375
Jan 1970
Phillips
Ahh! Macy's Grazed
Ahh! Macy's Grazed, 1976
$22,860
May 2024
Sotheby's
Mask
Mask, 1967
$24,130
Mar 2024
Sotheby's
Yawning Awning Girl
Yawning Awning Girl, 1965
$6,350
Mar 2024
Sotheby's
(i) Girl and Kite; (ii) Pink/Purple Head/Fantastic Head; (iii) Broken Balloon [3 Works]
(i) Girl and Kite; (ii) Pink/Purple Head/Fantastic Head; (iii) Broken Balloon [3 Works], 1965
Bought In
Mar 2024
Christie's
Untitled
Untitled, 1967
$17,640
Sep 2023
Sotheby's
Untitled
Untitled, 1967
$4,826
Sep 2023
Sotheby's
Twin Shin Splint Sprint
Twin Shin Splint Sprint, 2017
$8,890
May 2023
price_check

Market109 auction results

trending_upPaintings Range
$2.8K – $113K
15 of 15 paintings lots with prices
calculatePaintings Average
$24.6K
Object-type specific
show_chartPaintings Median
$22.9K
15 priced paintings lots
calendar_todayLast Paintings Sale
Oct 2024 · $22.7K
Latest tracked sale in this object type
categoryMarket by Object Type
Paintings: $22.9K medianWorks on paper: $8.9K medianSculpture/objects: $16.3K medianPhotographs: $344 medianEditioned prints: $600 median
gavelTop Auction Houses
Leslie Hindman AuctioneersChristie'sPhillipsTreadway Toomey GalleriesDallas Auction Gallery
school

Education1

School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
Chicago, IL, USA
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Current Exhibitions0

No current exhibitions found.

newspaper

Recent News7

expand_more
Art in Chicago: A Guide for Collectors, Curators and the Curious
This article introduces a comprehensive guide to Chicago's art world, published by a local outlet. The guide features multiple sections exploring the …
localMay 13, 2026
Member Lecture: Christina Ramberg—A Retrospective
The Art Institute of Chicago is hosting a major retrospective of Christina Ramberg, a pivotal figure in the Chicago Imagist movement. Co-curated by Th…
exhibitionsApr 17, 2026
Chicago Art Movements Over The Years, From the Monster Roster to the Modern Moment
Chicago’s art history is defined by a series of indigenous movements that prioritized visceral, existential expression over commercial appeal. The art…
cultureApr 17, 2026
year in latinx art 2025 artists museums
The article reflects on the state of Latinx art in 2025, a year marked by devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and the start of the second Trump admin…
cultureJan 5, 2026
New York Galleries: Openings and Closings of the Week (01/05—01/11)
newsJan 5, 2026
art green founding figure of chicago harry who obituary
Arthur “Art” Green, a key Chicago Imagist painter and original member of the Hairy Who, died at age 83 in April. The news was announced by Garth Green…
obituaryDec 17, 2025
dan nadel sixties surreal whitney robert crumb interview
Dan Nadel, a curator recently hired by the Whitney Museum as curator of prints and drawings, is opening a new exhibition titled "Sixties Surreal" that…
exhibitionsSep 24, 2025
history

Past Exhibitions7

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#240 Derek Eller Gallery

Sideshow: Drawings from the Sixties

Karl Wirsum

38 Walker St Ground Floor, New York, NY 10013, United States

Nov 21, 2025 — Jan 10, 2026

Details

#240 Derek Eller Gallery

Eye Adjustment: 1963-2020

Karl Wirsum

38 Walker St Ground Floor, New York, NY 10013, United States

Mar 16, 2024 — Apr 20, 2024

Details

#56 Matthew Marks Gallery

Eye Adjustment 1963–2020

KARL WIRSUM

523 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011, United States

Mar 16, 2024 — Apr 20, 2024

Details

#240 Derek Eller Gallery

Unmixedly at Ease: 50 Years of Drawing

Karl Wirsum

38 Walker St Ground Floor, New York, NY 10013, United States

Oct 11, 2019 — Nov 10, 2019

Details

#240 Derek Eller Gallery

Mr. Whatzit: Selections from the 1980s

Karl Wirsum

38 Walker St Ground Floor, New York, NY 10013, United States

Sep 7, 2017 — Oct 8, 2017

Details

#240 Derek Eller Gallery

The Hard Way: Selections from the 1970s

Karl Wirsum

38 Walker St Ground Floor, New York, NY 10013, United States

Sep 10, 2015 — Oct 17, 2015

Details

#240 Derek Eller Gallery

Drawings: 1967 - 70

Karl Wirsum

38 Walker St Ground Floor, New York, NY 10013, United States

Sep 9, 2010 — Oct 9, 2010

Details
stadium

Art Fair Appearances5

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Frieze Los Angeles — Los Angeles
2025
Frieze New York — New York
2024
Art Basel — Basel
2016
The Armory Show — New York
2016
Art Basel Miami Beach — Miami Beach
2014
timeline

Recent Activity20

expand_more
newspaper
News
Art in Chicago: A Guide for Collectors, Curators and the Curious
May 13, 2026
newspaper
News
Member Lecture: Christina Ramberg—A Retrospective
Apr 17, 2026
newspaper
News
Chicago Art Movements Over The Years, From the Monster Roster to the Modern Moment
Apr 17, 2026
newspaper
News
year in latinx art 2025 artists museums
Jan 5, 2026
newspaper
News
New York Galleries: Openings and Closings of the Week (01/05—01/11)
Jan 5, 2026
newspaper
News
art green founding figure of chicago harry who obituary
Dec 17, 2025
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
Sideshow: Drawings from the Sixties
Nov 21, 2025
newspaper
News
dan nadel sixties surreal whitney robert crumb interview
Sep 24, 2025
stadium
Art Fair
Frieze Los Angeles 2025
Feb 20, 2025
stadium
Art Fair
Frieze New York 2024
May 1, 2024
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
Eye Adjustment 1963–2020
Mar 16, 2024
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
Eye Adjustment: 1963-2020
Mar 16, 2024
event
death
Karl Wirsum dies
Jan 1, 2021
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
Unmixedly at Ease: 50 Years of Drawing
Oct 11, 2019
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
Mr. Whatzit: Selections from the 1980s
Sep 7, 2017
stadium
Art Fair
Art Basel 2016
Jun 16, 2016
stadium
Art Fair
The Armory Show 2016
Mar 3, 2016
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
The Hard Way: Selections from the 1970s
Sep 10, 2015
stadium
Art Fair
Art Basel Miami Beach 2014
Dec 4, 2014
gallery_thumbnail
Exhibition
Drawings: 1967 - 70
Sep 9, 2010
newspaper

Related News5

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