Post-War Contemporary Art

The article previews September sales, highlighting John Chamberlain’s 2003 Smile Code at Phillips’ Modern and Contemporary Art auction in New York, estimated at $200,000-$300,000. Chamberlain’s colorful crushed-car sculptures are identified as influential works of post-war American sculpture.

Major auction-house revenues recovered strongly in the first half of 2026, but the rebound was driven largely by trophy works and single-owner collections rather than contemporary art broadly. The article notes that 21st-century art prices have weakened as collectors increasingly favor luxury goods,

Research indicates that a very small number of trophy works now account for a disproportionate share of global auction turnover, with wealth concentration driving prices at the top end of the post-war market. The resulting polarization suggests headline auction strength may mask subdued conditions a