NEW YORK, NY.- On 18 October, Phillips will launch UnBound, a new series of online-only auctions of contemporary artworks, editions, and photographs to be held on the company’s own platform. The first auctions of their kind at Phillips, the UnBound sales embody the company’s goal of providing a new way to engage with emerging collectors around the world.

“The UnBound sales mark an exciting step forward for Phillips, as we continue to invest in digital initiatives that aim to enhance our collectors’ experiences,” said Katherine Lukacher, Phillips’ recently-appointed Head of Online Sales. “Up to 70% of lots in Phillips’ live auctions receive online bids and the value of winning bids by online bidders has doubled in the last year. With the internet serving as the dominant channel for new Phillips clients, we are happy to be able to provide another option to acquire exceptional works of art that span all levels and tastes.”

“Unbound” from a catalogue and “unbound” from sale categories, the sale series aims to provide another option for new and existing clients, as people are looking to grow their collections through online experiences. The first UnBound sale will kick off on 18 October and run through 30 October, offering over 70 lots by artists such as Sadie Laska, Ted Gahl, and Sam Moyer, and with estimates ranging from approximately $5,000 to $50,000.

Leading the sale is No Reply by KAWS, a complete set of 10 screenprints. This set is a classic example of the artist’s fascination with classic cartoons, as it reconfigures familiar subjects from SpongeBob SquarePants into a world of fantasy.

Also among the sale highlights is Ron Gorchov’s Music from 1976, which hails from the series of unique, saddle-shaped paintings that the artist has been creating for nearly forty years. Projecting from the wall the construction painted in a deep, stunning teal color with two of Gorchov’s comma like shapes rendered in stark black which seem to float within the center of the composition. The present work has been in the same private collection for the past four decades and is a prime example of Gorchov’s structural brilliance and carefully selected minimalist palette.

Katharina Grosse has become well known for her expansive, site-specific installations and a unique Untitled work by the artist is also among UnBound’s highlights. Most recently in her project at Fort Tilton beach, titled Rockaway!, Grosse covered the surrounding abandoned buildings with her brightly color sprayed paints, enveloping buildings and the land on which they sit with a psychedelic variety of patterns. For the present lot she has successfully compacted her colorful sprays into this stunning work on paper, demonstrating her ability to entrance the viewer with surreal imagery at any scale.

Mark Flood’s Tundra Hoof Print will also be offered in the auction. This is a beautiful, early example of Mark Flood’s iconic lace paintings. Tundra Hoof Print, from 2005 combines layers of delicate rainbow coloration with a small central window. The light peach opening seems to float on a different plane, projecting lightness from within the shrouded lace composition.