Des O'Sullivan: Why are we still waiting for a burst of creativity in 21st-century art?

Impressive selection under the hammer at the big New York in May is mostly from the last century, writes Des O'Sullivan

Burning gas station by Ed Ruscha at Christie's 20th Century evening sale.

The burst of creativity in the art world in the first two decades of the 20th century has not been matched in the 21st, and it is interesting to speculate about why. A century ago the world was newly enriched by Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Abstraction, Suprematism and the rest. 

In the global village of today, development of the shock of the new in art does not seem to have occurred at the hectic pace of technology and other groundbreaking disciplines. Are artists stupefied by the pace of change in the world all around them? In a world where wonder is taken for granted is visual surprise and delight degraded?

L'Empire des Lumieres by Rene Magritte from the Mo Ostin collection at Sotheby's.

Geniuses like David Hockney have demonstrated the infinite possibilities of digital art but it is not as yet a significant art market sector. It looks as if NFT's have gone the way of cryptocurrency for now. The most innovative market focus is on overlooked women artists, non-western art, ethnic, tribal and minority groups, but art needs innovation, not political correctness.

The impressive selection of Impressionist, Modern, Post-Modern and Contemporary art that will come under the hammer at the big New York spring sales in May are mostly of the 20th century. Highly significant art from major collections like Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, legendary Condé Nast co-owner SI Newhouse and Warner Bros. Records executive Mo Ostin — among whose signings were The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Joni Mitchell, REM and Madonna — will boost these sales.

All the big names, from Picasso, Matisse and Magritte to Georgia O'Keeffe, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama and Jean Michel Basquiat are here along with less well-known but seriously-doing-well relative newcomers like Wayne Thiebaud and Yoshitomo Nara.

Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama at Christie's.

But the art of today, which both auction houses have been busily promoting, is represented by just 51 lots, 27 at the 21st Century evening sale at Christie's on May 15 and 24 at the Now evening sale at Sotheby's on May 18.

The Christie's auction will be headed up by a Basquiat (born in 1960, died in 1986). There is a pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama (born in 1929), a box of 10 photographs by Diane Arbus (1923-1971), a take on a Velazquez painting by Jeff Koons (born 1955), Prophet by El Anatsui (born 1944) and Untitled (We will no longer be your favourite disappearing act) by Barbara Kruger (born 1945). 

Art in this sale by Cecily Brown, Rashid Johnson, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and other younger artists like Vojtek Kovarik and Louis Fratino (both born in 1993) will definitely reward serious study but is rooted in the 20th century.

Haze Days by Yoshitomo Nara at Sotheby's.

A powerful 1998 work by Yoshito Nara titled Haze Days will highlight the Now auction at Sotheby's. This monumental rendering of a bandaged child — furious, foreboding and wonderfully appealing — embodies the contradictions of our culture and ourselves. The eyes have it and it is no surprise that these angst-laden paintings sell for many millions of dollars. 

There is arresting art by Simone Leigh, Jonas Wood, Matthew Wong, Julien Nguyen, Mark Grotjahn, Kerry James Marshall, Mark Bradford, Rudolf Stingel and other names that might not yet be so well known. Sotheby's has set out to offer heightened visibility and a relevant art historical context for a new generation of younger artists, but it is the artists themselves who need to forge new paths.