Posts by Karen Hakimi

Few pairings in art history are as iconic and enduring as Andy Warhol and Marilyn Monroe. In the decades since Warhol first screen-printed her face in vibrant technicolor, the image of Marilyn has become inextricably linked with the language of Pop Art, transforming not only how we view celebrities, but how we consume them.

Few figures have shaped the trajectory of contemporary art quite like Tony Shafrazi. Born in Iran and educated at the Royal College of Art in London, Shafrazi made his mark in the New York art world in the 1970s and '80s, where his fearless eye and relentless advocacy helped launch the careers of now-iconic artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf. As both a dealer and curator, Shafrazi championed the graffiti and neo-expressionist movements before they had institutional validation, establishing his gallery as a hub of energy, rebellion, and innovation. That legacy was front and center at Sotheby’s Contemporary Day Auction on May 16, 2025, where highlights from Shafrazi’s personal collection were offered to the public — many for the first time in decades.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work continues to challenge, inspire, and captivate — decades after it first electrified the downtown New York art scene. His paintings are held in major museum collections and among the most sought-after in the market, yet the immediacy and impact of his voice extend beyond the canvas. The Basquiat Estate Prints offer a distinct and meaningful way to engage with his legacy — through a series of carefully authorized limited editions produced by the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

 

Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species portfolio, created in 1983, is one of the most compelling intersections of art and activism in contemporary art history. Best known for his portraits of celebrities and consumer goods, Warhol turned his focus to wildlife conservation with this vivid, politically resonant body of work. Commissioned by art dealers Ronald and Frayda Feldman, longtime supporters of environmental causes, this ten-print silkscreen series depicts animals facing the threat of extinction, rendered in Warhol’s unmistakable pop art style.