Phillips – Art Auction House & Gallery

I don’t recall ever seeing this on any list of free things in NYC (not that I’ve seen them all), which is surprising. If I hadn’t walked by here on a long walk to work, I would have never known about it.
For a small gallery, it really exhibits a wide range of art, from Picassos (paintings and ceramics) to Lichtensteins, to Warhols, and I can just go on and on. The art changes frequently, so you can always see something new.
The people who work there are extremely nice and helpful. The security guards are very friendly and will open the door for you. And everybody is more than happy to answer your questions.
While entering the gallery is free, the artworks are not. This is an auction house after all. In my last visit, I saw photos selling in the tens of thousands of dollars!!! So, if you happen to be a millionaire and want something to spruce up your penthouse pad, this is the place to go. For ordinary schlubs like me, being able to see these amazing artworks is still a wonderful experience.

I am no millionaire and if I was I would shop here. That being said, I am a museum fanatic. And I didn’t realize that the auction house would be a great place to see works from my favorite artist.
I was at the «Editions» show this week and saw works from Picasso and Warhol. But I was even more smitten when I saw works from Elizabeth Peyton, Margaret Kilgallen, Yayoi Kusama and Basquiat.
Definitely worth a trek into the neighborhood if you are interested in the specific auction. Auctions range from Contemporary, Latin, Jewels, Photography, Design and Editions. The openings are also mostly open to the public. I plan on making it to an opening with some friends.
I will have to say I was bummed that I missed the photography show. I am a huge photo fan. And it looked like they had a piece of my favorite photographer, Diane Arbus! What I would do to own one of her prints. It’s just that beautiful eerie pieces that I love so much.