With an emphasis on underrepresented artists of the Post-War era, J. Kenneth Fine Art continues to see increasing interest in various groups of artists that were marginalized within the history of American art.

Lynne Drexler (1928-1999), Untitled. Gouache on paper, 1959, 19 x 24½ in.

As collectors, institutions and museums reflect upon the profound impact of female painters from the Post-War era, these once-overlooked artists are being recognized for their talent and contributions. The art market has followed suit with record-breaking auction results and robust private sales.

“The story of Lynne Drexler is a great example of what has been happening in the auction markets,” says Andrew Huber, head of Post-War and contemporary art at Bonhams New York. “After languishing in obscurity for years, Drexler was catapulted into the spotlight. We were particularly excited about the record-breaking price of $208,275 for a work on paper at our Post-War and Contemporary auction in May of 2022. Even though multiple works have come to market over the past two years, we have seen the collector pool expand for this artist.

Robert Colescott (1925-2009), Miss Liberty. Acrylic on canvas, 1980, 84 x 72 in.

Bernice Bing (1936-1998), Untitled (Spring No I). Oil on canvas, 1961, 47½ x 49 in. 

“While the focus has seemingly been on overlooked female abstract painters, including artists like Bernice Bing and Mercedes Matter, other overlooked artists working in different styles and media are now receiving much overdue attention. Artists such as painter Lois Dodd, textile artist Olga de Amaral and printmaker Belkis Ayón are seeing increased institutional support, further bolstering the secondary market.”

As the interest in female mid-century artists has gained momentum, a new appreciation for other overlooked artists has grown significantly, such as African American artists Ernie Barnes (1938-2009), Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012), Robert Colescott (1925-2009) and Paul Keene (1920-2009).

Interior of J. Kenneth Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA

Ignored for years by the fine art establishment, in part for his distinctive and stylized realist paintings of African American life, Barnes’s work has appreciated in value with record-breaking auction sales, such as Solid Rock Congregation, 1993, which realized a price of $1,620,375 at a September 2022 auction at Bonhams. Colescott’s massive 1980 piece Miss Liberty, was purchased by Alice Walton’s Art Bridges Foundation for $4,500,375 at another Bonhams auction in February of 2023.

With an expanding collector base and increased auction sales, it has become abundantly clear that historically marginalized artists of the Post-War era continue to inspire and captivate art collectors, preserving their legacies and contributions within the canon of art history in America.

J. Kenneth Fine Art
Palm Springs, CA
www.jkennethfineart.com

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