When London’s Art Auctions Whisper Instead of Roar, New Voices Still Break Through

London’s summer art auctions are known for headline-grabbing numbers, but this season’s results have been notably subdued. George Condo’s Green and Purple Head Composition led Phillips’s sales, fetching £1 million—above its estimate, but far from record-breaking territory. Meanwhile, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s evocative canvases continued to attract attention, though her top lot at Christie’s sold below expectations. Despite the tempered mood, a handful of emerging artists made a splash. Wolfe von Lenkiewicz set a new personal record, and several ultra-contemporary names, like Sophia Loeb and Daisy Parris, exceeded their estimates on their auction debuts. The big names may have drawn the crowds, but it was the newcomers who injected energy into the proceedings. While the overall numbers may have cooled, the pulse of the art market remains lively—sometimes, the most interesting stories unfold in the quieter corners of the auction room. #LondonArtScene #ContemporaryArt #ArtAuctions #Culture