Thierry Noir's A tremendous burst of energy spreads around the market square sold for £25,400 at the Phillips Modern & Contemporary Art: Evening & Day Sale on 27 June 2024 in London. Born in France, Noir was inspired by musicians David Bowie, Nina Hagen and Iggy Pop to move to Berlin, where he became a musician and toured with a German band.

Noir's artistic career began after he was one of the first artists to paint the Berlin Wall, and he is generally considered one of the forefathers of street art. The simple, brightly colored, cartoon-like figures he painted along the Wall became his signature style and are now iconic. Parts of the Wall he painted are preserved in art collections displayed around the world. There is a reason for the simplicity in his work – as a street muralist, it reflects the dangers of the environments he painted in and the need for a quick turnaround.

Some of our other favourites, from the Phillips Modern & Contemporary Art: Evening & Day Sale on 27 June 2024 in London, appear throughout the issue.