A Statista chart published in October 2024 ranks the top ten contemporary artists by auction sales from July 2023 to June 2024, broken down by gender. Jean-Michel Basquiat leads all artists with $516.2 million in sales, followed by Yoshitomo Nara ($70.6 million), George Condo ($47.4 million), and Keith Haring ($36.2 million). Julie Mehretu is the only female artist in the top ten, with $36.0 million in sales. The data covers public auctions of paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints, photographs, videos, tapestries, installations, and NFTs, excluding antiques, furniture, and anonymous cultural goods.
This data matters because it starkly illustrates the persistent gender imbalance in the high-end contemporary art market. Among the top ten artists by auction revenue, only one—Julie Mehretu—is a woman, and her sales total is roughly 7% of the male leader's. The chart underscores how market value remains heavily concentrated on male artists, even as the broader art world debates equity and representation. The inclusion of Banksy, whose gender is unconfirmed but listed as male, further highlights the structural disparities in how the market values artists by gender.