New York's Showplace is hosting its Important Fine Art and Design Auction on May 14, 2026, featuring 145 lots that span Old Masters to contemporary works. Key highlights include Yayoi Kusama's *Infinity Nets* (1995, est. $100,000–$200,000), Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe's *Yellow Fanny Pack* (2021, est. $12,000–$18,000), Alexander Calder's *Paradis* (1976, est. $60,000–$80,000), Henri Martin's *L'Eglise de Labastide-du-Vert* (est. $60,000–$80,000), and Milton Avery's *Untitled (Winter Landscape Scene)* (est. $20,000–$40,000). The auction brings together blue-chip names like Warhol, Kusama, and Calder alongside emerging artists.
This auction matters because it reflects the current art market's appetite for both established blue-chip names and rising contemporary stars, offering a snapshot of market trends during the peak spring season. The inclusion of artists like Quaicoe, who was named a Rubell Museum Artist-in-Residence, signals the growing commercial and institutional interest in West African contemporary art, while the presence of Kusama and Calder underscores the enduring value of post-war and modern masters.