Artists, makers and objects named here illustrate the market we follow and what meets our criteria. They are not a list of Caldrion’s holdings or acquisitions. Price bands are rough, based on public auction results through mid-2026; private-treaty prices and today’s market can differ, so treat them as orientation, not valuations.
Between the emerging artist and the canonical master sits a group we follow closely: living artists whose standing has been confirmed by museum surveys, biennials and serious critical attention, and whose work now trades in a secondary market with real depth. These are the artists we watch.
Established mid-career artists with institutional backing
- Julie Mehretu (b. 1970). Layered architectural abstractions. She had a Whitney/LACMA survey, showed in the 2019 Venice Biennale and had a 2024 Palazzo Grassi show. Her auction record is about $10.7M (2023), and good works sell in the low millions.
- Mark Bradford (b. 1961). Large collaged-paper abstractions. He represented the US at Venice in 2017, and a major work sold for about $12M in 2018.
- Cecily Brown (b. 1969). Dense, painterly canvases. The Met gave her a 2023 survey, and prices run from about $1M to $7M.
- Rashid Johnson (b. 1977). The Anxious Men and Broken Men series, mosaics and Bruise paintings. The Guggenheim gave him a 2025 survey, and works sell in the mid-six figures to low millions.
- Christopher Wool (b. 1955). Stenciled word paintings sell for eight figures (Apocalypse Now brought $26.5M in 2013). His later gray abstractions are the in-band option.
- Kerry James Marshall (b. 1955). Large figurative paintings of Black life. Past Times sold for $21.1M in 2018, and the Royal Academy gave him a 2025 survey. Works rarely come to market, so mid-size paintings and drawings are the realistic target.
- Njideka Akunyili Crosby (b. 1983). Layered domestic interiors built from paint, collage and photo-transfer. She has had major museum shows and a fast-rising secondary market, with good works selling for seven figures.
- Amy Sherald (b. 1973). Grayscale-skinned figurative portraits. Her 2024–25 survey ran at SFMOMA and the Whitney, and works sell from about $1M to several million.
- Simone Leigh (b. 1967). Monumental ceramic and bronze sculpture. She represented the US at Venice in 2022 and won the Golden Lion for best participant there. Smaller sculptures fit the band.
- Albert Oehlen (b. 1954). Computer paintings, “tree” paintings and large abstractions. The New Museum gave him a 2015 show, and works sell in the low-to-mid millions.
How we read these markets
Mid-career markets can move faster than those of established masters, in both directions. We prefer the strongest examples to the most affordable ones, we look for museum validation rather than a single headline result, and we are patient.
If you own or represent a work or object of this kind, see our criteria and what to send. We read every submission and aim to reply within a few business days of receiving a complete package, whether or not we proceed.
The field guide
- What “A-grade” means, and where our criteria bite
- Post-war and contemporary masters
- Established mid-career artists
- Collector automobiles
- Watches
- Fine wine and spirits
- Emerging patronage
This guide reflects Caldrion’s views as of November 2026. It is not an offer of securities, investment advice or a valuation.