10 In-Demand Works on Artsy This Week

In this weekly series, Artsy’s Curatorial team offers a look at the artworks that are currently gaining traction among collectors on Artsy. Looking at our internal data, we offer a selection of works that Artsy members are engaging with through inquiries, bids, page views, and saves. Ranging from large paintings by rising young talents to works on paper by established artists, the following pieces are culled from recent online auctions and art fairs hosted on Artsy, as well as exhibitions and works added by our gallery partners.

Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, Redrose and Yellow Beard (2019)

This work by Ghanaian artist Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe was featured in CFHILL’s hugely popular show “Black Voices / Black Microcosm.” The piece received a high number of sales inquiries on Artsy, speaking to the strong demand for Quaicoe’s work; the piece was one of only two works available by the artist on Artsy at the time. Through his portraits, Quaicoe aims to empower his subjects, rendering them in vivid colors and patterns. He draws upon the notion of his native Ghana that color is a means of self-expression.

Browse available works by Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe.

Conrad Egyir, Mieyoshi (2020)

Relatively new to the scene, Conrad Egyir has slowly been garnering the art world’s attention. After graduating from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2018, the artist had solo shows in 2019 at Library Street Collective and Jessica Silverman Gallery; that same year, he was also featured in Jessica Silverman’s booth at The Armory Show.

Born and raised in Ghana, and now based in Detroit, Egyir is inspired by West African storytelling and iconography, as well as contemporary American culture, the Bible, Pop art, and history painting. With demand slowly growing for his work, this piece received a high number of inquiries shortly after it was uploaded to Artsy. Egyir’s works are also available for bidding in the current ARTNOIR From: Friends To: Friends: Benefit Auction 2020, the proceeds of which will go to the newly launched ARTNOIR Jar of Love Fund, an initiative intended to provide relief for people of color working in the arts.

Browse available works by Conrad Egyir.

Todd James, 2 Pirates (2014)

This piece by street artist Todd James is featured in his current solo show at Whitestone Gallery, titled “Dreamer Believer,” which includes 19 new works that the artist created while in quarantine. This particular piece received strong interest with several sales inquiries coming in as soon as it was uploaded to Artsy. James’s recognizable works typically feature blocks of Day-Glo hues that combine to form figurative compositions.

Browse available works by Todd James.

Genieve Figgis, Dinner Time (2014)

With her works appearing at all three major auction houses earlier this year, Irish artist Genieve Figgis is becoming an ever more prominent name in the art world. Following this increase in demand at auction, there’s been an uptick in inquiries on her works on Artsy, including this piece at MSP Modern. Figgis’s work has also found traction at recent fairs, with sales reported at the online edition of Art Basel this past June through Almine Rech.

Browse available works by Genieve Figgis.

Banksy, Gangsta Rat (Green AP) (2004)

Arguably the most widely recognized living artist in the art world, the British street artist Banksy is famed worldwide for his witty works loaded with sociopolitical messaging. This particular Banksy piece was recently uploaded to the platform by Moonstar Fine Art Advisors. Given that it is an artist proof and comes with a certificate of authenticity, this is a highly sought-after piece, which explains the surge of inquiries that came once it was uploaded to Artsy.

Browse available works by Banksy.

Eddie Martinez, Trump Virus White Out (2020)

This piece by Eddie Martinez is currently featured in Stockholm gallery Loyal’s “100!” exhibition, an online-only group show that celebrates the gallery’s 100th exhibition. Martinez’s doodle-like work often incorporates color and draws inspiration from popular culture. However, in this and other recent pieces, as the title Trump Virus White Out indicates, the artist has been addressing the contemporary political climate—specifically, the current presidential regime in the United States.

Browse available works by Eddie Martinez.

William Wegman, Casual (2018)

American photographer William Wegman is famed for his decades-long tradition of photographing his pet Weimaraners. In his dynamic images, the dogs often appear wearing costumes or cleverly posed with props. While the enduring enthusiasm for Wegman’s photography speaks to people’s indefatigable love for dogs, beneath the playful subject matter is the artist’s clear mastery of the medium and a seasoned art practice. Before he gained mainstream fame through the Weimaraners, Wegman was an accomplished conceptual and video artist.

This particular work, featured in the recently closed auction Tate Ward: Urban and Contemporary Art, received strong bidding activity and ultimately landed with a hammer price nearly three times the high estimate of £700.

Browse available works by William Wegman.

Tiffany Alfonseca, Girl Talk (2020)

A star lot in the current ARTNOIR benefit auction, hosted exclusively on Artsy, this piece by Tiffany Alfonseca has been subject to a frenzy of bidding activity. The young Dominican-American artist just finished her BFA degree this year at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Alfonseca creates mixed-media works that celebrate the Black and Afro-Latinx diasporic communities. Her works often depict Black women in intimate and relaxed settings.

Browse available works by Tiffany Alfonseca.

Patrick Quarm, Boy Wonder (2020)

This piece by the Ghanaian-born, Detroit-based artist Patrick Quarm is also a sought-after lot in the current ARTNOIR benefit auction, receiving a high number of bids in the past week. Since moving to the United States from his native Ghana, Quarm has explored the meaning of living in his new home. In his works, he considers the cultures side by side, juxtaposing Western figurative painting traditions with vibrant Ghanaian fabrics.

Browse available works by Patrick Quarm.

Ludovic Nkoth, Mother (2020)