Kenny Scharf’s Shoowangshu sold for $127,000 at Phillips Modern & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Morning Session on Nov. 20, 2024 in New York City. The 66-year-old Scharf has been on the art scene since the 1980s, but according to Artnet, he’s currently at the pinnacle of his career. Scharf’s works are more relevant than ever. His top 30 grossing lots all sold at auction in the last four years, and a live-painted artwork sold for $1.1 million at a benefit auction last year. The cherry on top? His works are currently on exhibition at three different New York City locales.
The largest of the three is a show at the Brant Foundation that pays tribute to the pioneer of the street art movement and his contributions to New York City’s history. The survey features over 70 works from Brant’s collection alongside loans from private collections and institutions from across the country. It’s only fitting that it’s located in the East Village—Scharf’s old stomping grounds.
An environmentalist, Scharf tells Observer that the central theme of his works is revealing what the capitalistic, consumerist American way of life is doing to our planet. Though presented in a colorful, playful way, the message is always there. For example, the dinosaurs that appear throughout his work reference fossil fuels. He’s also known for turning discarded plastic and electrical appliances, such as answering machines, into art, simultaneously turning garbage into treasures and raising awareness of over-consumerism. Scharf doesn’t shy away from making his political views known either—a quick scroll through his Instagram will tell you exactly where he stands.
Image: Courtesy of Phillips
