10 In-Demand Works on Artsy This Week: October 12th, 2020

In this weekly series, Artsy’s Curatorial and Editorial teams offer 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. 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.

Bids on this collaged domestic scene, done in tribute to the late painter by the young South African artist Katlego Tlabela, have been skyrocketing. Part of the Amref Health Africa ArtBall benefit auction, which closes tomorrow, the work’s current bid is over three times its estimate.

Uploaded by Gallery Delaive on October 1st, this whimsical 2010 painting by self-taught Japanese artist Ayako Rokkaku has already received a flurry of inquiries. Painted on a record sleeve, this small-scale work is bursting with Rokkaku’s signature colorful palette and action-packed, frenetic energy.

Part of the Tate Ward: Urban and Contemporary auction, one of Banksy’s quintessential rat screen prints has, predictably, been an immediate hit. Bids are currently well over the work’s high estimate. A frequent symbol in Banksy’s work, the rat is often used by the artist to signify the underground resilience of street art. His rats caused a stir early in the COVID-19 pandemic when a pack of them were stencilled throughout the artist’s bathroom, wreaking havoc and counting the days Banksy had spent in isolation at the time.

Hank Willis Thomas’s iconic and ever-relevant 2019 poster has seen renewed interest ahead of the upcoming U.S. election. Also part of the Tate Ward: Urban and Contemporary art auction, the print has already doubled its high estimate. A co-founder of the artist-led organization For Freedoms, Thomas is currently helping to lead a series of arts-centric actions and activations that will help inspire voter participation throughout the United States.

This mixed-media work by the American artist Faith Ringgold has already surpassed its estimate with four days remaining until the sale closes. The work is part of the MAD Ball benefit auction, whose proceeds support the the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. One of her narrative quilts, this work by Ringgold is a quintessential example of how the artist incorporated her lifelong commitment to civil rights and gender equality seamlessly into her work.

This charming work by the Los Angeles–based Swedish artist Camilla Engström saw a steady stream of interest since being uploaded on September 17th by the gallery Over the Influence. The painting was one of two works by Engström recently featured as part of the gallery’s booth at this year’s KIAF Art Seoul. This year also marks the artist’s first time exhibiting in Asia.

This austere portrait by the Nigerian artist Collins Obijiaku has received a surge of inquiries since it was uploaded to the platform on September 28th by Unit London. The work is currently on view as part of the highly anticipated group show “The Medium is the Message,” which investigates the role of paint pigments in the expression of identity. The exhibition was recently highlighted as one of Artsy’s must-see shows of Frieze London week.

Also included in “The Medium is the Message” is this tactile canvas by New York–based Cameroonian painter Ludovic Nkoth, which has received a lot of interest. While the up-and-coming artist has mostly shown in exhibitions along the East Coast of the United States, earlier this year, Nkoth also participated in Unit London’s “Drawn Together” show and was featured at this year’s 1-54 fair in Luce Gallery’s booth.

Part of this season’s IKON Ltd show, this drawing by the late American artist Joyce Pensato has seen significant interest in the short time since it was uploaded to Artsy. Known for her rough, painterly renditions of famous cartoon figures like Mickey Mouse, Batman, and Homer Simpson, this work depicting Donald Duck is a perfect opportunity to collect a quintessential piece by Pensato, who passed away last year at the age of 77.

After an exciting round of bidding, this miniature work by American artist Cordy Ryman sold for well over twice its estimate at the online benefit auction for BOMB magazine. The son of artists and , Cordy Ryman uses salvaged wood to create sculptures, installations, and wall pieces. In 2017, Ryman was commissioned to create a permanent, site-specific work for the New York City Department of Education at P.S. 11 in the borough of Queens.