Frieze New York sales led by El Anatsui, Baselitz

Frieze New York closed its 15th edition at The Shed on May 17 with multimillion-dollar reported sales, museum acquisitions and a new acquisition fund tied to emerging galleries. Artsy reported that sales at the fair were led by White Cube’s placement of two El Anatsui works and Thaddaeus Ropac’s sale of a Georg Baselitz painting. Frieze and FAD Magazine separately said the fair also ended with acquisitions for the Brooklyn Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art through the inaugural Sherman Family Foundation Acquisition Fund. The 2026 edition ran May 13-17 at The Shed in New York City, according to Frieze and Artsy. ### Which works led the sales reports? White Cube reported the biggest disclosed sales at the fair, according to Artsy, with El Anatsui’s *LuwVor I* (2025) selling for $2.2 million and *MivEvi III* (2025) selling for $1.9 million. Artsy said the gallery also sold works by Antony Gormley, Howardena Pindell and Marina Rheingantz during the week. (artsy.net) Thaddaeus Ropac reported a top sale of Georg Baselitz’s *Stunde der Nachtigall* (2012) for €1.4 million, or about $1.54 million, Artsy said. The same gallery also reported sales of a Robert Rauschenberg work for $825,000 and an Alex Katz painting for $600,000. ### What do the reported figures say about the fair’s market? Artsy said Frieze New York’s sales spanned both blue-chip and younger artists, with seven-figure prices appearing at the top end and lower-priced placements across other booths. (artsy.net) Its preview-day report said several galleries recorded sales above $1 million, including White Cube and Thaddaeus Ropac. Matthew Wood, co-founder of Mendes Wood DM, told Artsy that “the energy in New York is unbeatable,” adding that the gallery welcomed local collectors and international visitors who traveled for the fair. That comment was published in Artsy’s end-of-fair market report alongside the sales breakdown. ### How did museums buy work at the fair? (artsy.net) Frieze said the Sherman Family Foundation Acquisition Fund made its debut this year as a five-year commitment aimed at artists in the Focus section, which is reserved for emerging galleries. Frieze said the fund provides $50,000 annually, with two acquisitions at $20,000 each and a $5,000 unrestricted award for each selected artist. (artsy.net) The acquisitions announced through the fund will enter the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art, Frieze said. Frieze’s report on the fund said the Brooklyn Museum selected two works by Bettina from Ulrik gallery, while the Baltimore Museum of Art acquired Seba Calfuqueo’s *Destellos, PILLAN SIKILL 1* (2024). (frieze.com) ### Where did Latin American representation fit in? Frieze said the 2026 edition included 14 galleries from across Latin America, a point it highlighted in its closing press release as part of a wider commitment to the region. FAD Magazine also cited stronger Latin American representation as one of the defining features of the fair’s final tally. (frieze.com) FAD Magazine said the fair closed with “major museum acquisitions” and “strong sales,” linking those results to the broader mix of exhibitors and institutional activity around the event. Frieze’s April programming release had already pointed to a citywide structure that extended beyond the fair floor to the Whitney Museum of American Art and Dia Art Foundation. (press.frieze.com) ### What else happened around The Shed as the fair ended? Frieze said its New York program ran across The Shed, the Whitney and Dia from May 13 to May 17, combining the fair with performances, installations and institutional collaborations. Artsy’s fair page listed The Shed as the fair site, and Curbed reported that collectors, dealers, curators and advisers circulated there during the event. (fadmagazine.com) May 17 marked the close of the fair, according to Frieze’s press release, which said the edition ended after five days of presentations and programming. The next public record of its outcome is now split across Frieze’s own closing release, Artsy’s sales roundup and the Sherman fund announcement naming the Brooklyn Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art. (press.frieze.com 1) (press.frieze.com 2)