Phillips auction house has announced its October London sales lineup, with Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1982 work on paper titled "Untitled (Pestus)" set to headline the modern and contemporary evening auction on October 16. The piece carries a high estimate of £3 million (approximately $4 million), making it the star lot of the 26-piece sale during London's prestigious Frieze Week.
Created during what art historians have dubbed Basquiat's "annus mirabilis" or miracle year, the work exemplifies the artist's distinctive vision and raw creative energy. According to the auction catalog, the piece "deftly encompasses this vision, distilling the immediacy and raw energy of Basquiat's mark making." The catalog also notes that Basquiat once described his artistic focus as centering on "royalty, heroism, and the streets," themes that are reflected throughout his body of work.
The evening sale will also feature several other notable works, including Andy Warhol's 1981 diamond dust portrait of fashion icon Giorgio Armani, which carries a high estimate of £800,000 ($1 million). Continuing the fashion theme, Banksy's 2005 portrait "Kate Moss" is expected to fetch up to £1 million ($1.3 million). The sale prominently showcases British artists, with works by established names like Jadé Fadojutimi, Flora Yukhnovich, Damien Hirst, and Anish Kapoor, alongside rising contemporary painters Sasha Gordon and Emma McIntyre.
Olivia Thornton, Phillips's head of modern and contemporary art for Europe, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming sales in a statement. "Frieze Week is a moment when London truly comes alive with art, and we are excited to be part of that energy," Thornton said. "This season, we are proud to offer a sale that reflects the vibrancy of contemporary collecting, bringing together key names, emerging voices, and works that challenge and inspire."
Following the evening auction, Phillips will hold its modern and contemporary day sale on October 18. That sale will be led by a Keith Haring bronze panel and will include additional pieces by Warhol, Basquiat, Anselm Kiefer, and Yoshitomo Nara. The timing of these auctions coincides with London's Frieze Art Fair, one of the most important events in the international art calendar, when collectors, dealers, and art enthusiasts from around the world converge on the British capital.
