A Constellation of Voices: Phillips Presents Modern and Contemporary Art in London

The gallery at 30 Berkeley Square in London has long served as a threshold into the rarefied world of contemporary collecting. This October, it becomes the setting for a conversation between epochs and sensibilities, as Phillips brings together works that span from the twentieth century's most reverential figures to the voices that define artistic urgency today.

A Dialogue Across Generations

The forthcoming Modern and Contemporary Art auctions scheduled for 15 and 17 October present a curatorial vision that honours the architecture of artistic legacy whilst embracing the provocations of now. Gerhard Richter's luminous abstractions sit in counterpoint to the graphic audacity of contemporary practice, their visual languages distinct yet unified in their commitment to the transcendent possibilities of the work itself.

The selection honours painting's enduring philosophical weight. David Hockney's investigations into light, perspective and the representation of space anchor the sale with the assured vision of an artist whose every gesture carries decades of refined inquiry. Salvador Dalí's surrealist vocabulary, dense with symbolism and technical mastery, speaks to the surety of mid-century modernist ambition. These are works that do not whisper; they declare.

Yet the sale refuses to dwell in the past. Works by Banksy and Maurizio Cattelan introduce a register altogether different: art as intervention, as challenge to complacency, as a demand that the viewer confront not merely beauty but consequence. Their presence within this grouping creates a productive tension, a space where tradition and rupture, formalism and provocation, meet as equals.

Emerging and Established Voices

The curation extends to artists whose reputations continue to ascend: Ben Sledsens, Joseph Yaeger and Rose Wiley each bring distinct languages to their practice. Their inclusion alongside the blue-chip names reflects a commitment to recognising artistic significance at every stage of its unfolding. Sledsens' intricate compositions, Yaeger's investigations into materiality and form, and Wiley's expansive vision each claim their place within a broader narrative of visual innovation.

This is not a sale organised by market hierarchy alone. Rather, it speaks to the philosophy that serious collecting encompasses both the historically consecrated and the luminously emerging. The auction house has long understood that the collector's eye must remain alert to new utterance even as it reveres the masters.

An Invitation to View

The gallery itself becomes an essential part of this experience. The works remain on view prior to the auctions, allowing collectors, scholars and the curious to encounter each piece in considered proximity. It is in this space, standing before a canvas, that the dialogue between intention and perception becomes tangible. The room holds the work; the viewer is held by it.

To visit Berkeley Square in October is to participate in an argument about what art matters now and why. It is an argument conducted not in words but in pigment, form, provenance and vision. Such conversations define the season's most significant offerings.

The Modern and Contemporary Art auctions take place at Phillips, 30 Berkeley Square, London, on 15 and 17 October 2026. Viewing is available by appointment and during designated hours prior to sale dates.

Key Facts

• Location: Phillips, 30 Berkeley Square, London
• Sale Dates: 15 and 17 October 2026
• Section: Modern & Contemporary Art
• Featured Artists: Gerhard Richter, Megan Rooney, Banksy, Maurizio Cattelan, Ben Sledsens, David Hockney, Joseph Yaeger, Rose Wiley, Salvador Dalí and others

The Simply Luxury View

Phillips' dual auctions represent a curatorial stance increasingly rare in contemporary collecting: the refusal to separate tradition from urgency, mastery from emergence. For collectors of discernment, this approach is liberating. It acknowledges that the art market's most vital moments occur not when we retreat into the safety of the canonical, but when we remain alert to the new utterances of serious artists working today.

The inclusion of names spanning from Dalí to Banksy, from Richter's systematised abstractions to the graphic directness of contemporary provocation, suggests a house confident in its ability to frame diverse practices within a single, coherent vision. Such confidence is itself a form of luxury: the freedom to collect across boundaries, assured that quality of vision transcends era or mode.

Official brand website: phillips.com

Imagery is used for editorial purposes. All rights remain with the respective owners, photographers and licensors.

Imagery courtesy of Phillips (@phillipsauction).