JOOPITER, the auction platform founded to rethink collecting for a digital generation, will launch its first dedicated contemporary art sale this spring. Titled The Contemporary Take, the online auction runs from April 28 through May 6, 2025. Curated in collaboration with Martha Stewart, the sale features nearly fifty works by both established and emerging artists, selected to reflect the renewal and vibrancy of the season.
ART
For Stewart, a longtime art collector and cultural tastemaker, the auction represents a personal invitation to explore a fresh vision of collecting. “The Contemporary Take includes works from some of my favorite contemporary artists, some of whom I know personally,” she said in a statement. “This sale is an opportunity to start a collection of your own, or to expand one you’ve already begun. It’s also an opportunity to learn.” Stewart’s selection draws on her connection to both the artists and the thematic energy of springtime, bringing a sense of optimism to the curation.
The sale moves through imagery of leisure and nature, from Alex Katz’s Straw Hat 3 to Raymond Pettibon’s surf scene in Untitled (Hermosa Beach) and Tom Wesselmann’s Monica Lying on Blanket. Other works include Danielle Orchard’s floral Bouquet and Damien Hirst’s color-saturated Ribonucleic Acid. A sense of brightness and ease runs through the selection, capturing the atmosphere of a season in bloom.
Among the standout entries are works by artists such as Amy Sherald, George Condo, Esther Mahlangu, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, whose Bark Scraper offers a contemplative depth that anchors the sale. Sculptural and multimedia works include a wall-mounted pill case by Hirst, a stitched quilt of NBA jerseys by Hank Willis Thomas, and a rubber tire sculpture by Chakaia Booker. Iconic names such as Ai Weiwei, Jeff Koons, and Urs Fischer also appear, bringing together high-concept art and accessible formats.
Prints and editioned works span both 20th and 21st-century voices, from Louise Bourgeois and Roy Lichtenstein to Jenny Holzer and Anish Kapoor. Tracey Emin’s unique monotype joins Adrian Ghenie’s collage, further enriching the visual diversity of the offering. The collection connects renowned figures with rising talents, maintaining a balance between accessibility and distinction.
Emerging artists such as Anastasia Bay, Liang Fu, Summer Wheat, Sedrick Chisom, France-Lise McGurn, and Kenny Rivero round out the lineup, alongside works from Andres Valencia and Yanyan Huang. The sale also marks the auction debut of late Iranian-American artist Davood Roostaei. With this launch, JOOPITER sets a precedent for thoughtful curation, signaling its intent to shape the contemporary art conversation through both innovation and collaboration.
