PRESS - 2026.04.22
SBI Art Auction to Hold Two Sales Across Consecutive Weeks in May “Modern and Contemporary Art” and a Single-Owner Collection - Featuring works by LEE U-fan, Mr., Joseph KOSUTH, Damien HIRST, and more -
ENGLISH：Download the press release
日本語：プレスリリースのダウンロード
SBI Art Auction is pleased to announce that “The 80th SBI Art Auction | Modern and Contemporary Art” will be held on Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23, 2026, followed by “the 81st SBI Art Auction | A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection” on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Hillside Forum (Shibuya, Tokyo).
In May, we will present both our flagship auction and a special single-owner collection sale. The first-week sale, “The 80th SBI Art Auction | Modern and Contemporary Art” serves as our core auction, offering a wide-ranging selection of modern and contemporary art from Japan and abroad. The second-week sale, “The 81st SBI Art Auction | A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection,” is a dedicated single-owner sale, featuring works across multiple genres—including Nihonga (Japanese-style painting), Yōga (Western-style painting), and Ukiyo-e—drawn from one distinguished collection.
The “Modern and Contemporary Art” sale will feature LEE U-fan’s From Point (1980) as the top lot, with an estimate of JPY 50,000,000–80,000,000. Other highlights include June—Seashore at Dusk (2021) by Mr., whose solo exhibition at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum is scheduled to open this spring; Subject and Object (1966), a neon work by Joseph KOSUTH, presented at SBI Art Auction for the first time and rarely seen on the Japanese art market; and For the Love of God, Laugh (2007) by Damien HIRST, who is currently the subject of a major solo exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA). These works reflect a strong connection to the current domestic and international art scenes.
Meanwhile, the “A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection” sale will include Nude Study (1977) by KAYAMA Matazo, Tidewater by SENJU Hiroshi, and Piazza d’Italia (1974) by Giorgio DE CHIRICO. Spanning diverse artistic contexts—from Nihonga and contemporary art to metaphysical painting—the selection is curated through the unique perspective of a single collector.
■ Auction Details
“The 80th SBI Art Auction｜Modern and Contemporary Art”
・Auction: Friday, May 22 / Saturday, May 23, 2026, 12:00 PM (JST)-
・Preview: Wednesday, May 20 – Saturday, May 23, 2026
・Venue: Hillside Forum (18-8 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN)
・Total Lots: 368 (TBC)
・Bidding Methods: On-site, Telephone, Absentee, or Online
The Auction will be live-streamed on YouTube
Online catalogue will be available from Friday, May 1, 2026
“The 81st SBI Art Auction | A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection”
・Auction: Saturday, May 30, 2026, 12:00 PM (JST)-
・Preview: Wednesday, May 27 – Friday, May 29, 2026
・Venue: Hillside Forum (18-8 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN)
・Total Lots: 251 (TBC)
・Bidding Methods: On-site, Telephone, Absentee, or Online
The Auction will be live-streamed on YouTube
Online catalogue will be available from Friday, May 8, 2026
■ About Us
SBI Art Auction is a public auction house specializing in modern and contemporary art, handling works from both Japan and abroad. With registered clients in 63 countries and approximately 50% of total sales generated by international bidders, we are recognized as one of the most international auction houses in Japan. In addition to works by leading Japanese artists, we actively introduce works by international artists that are rarely available in the domestic market. *As of January 2025
Company name: SBI Art Auction Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: FUJIYAMA Tomohiro
Address: TFT Building East Wing, 3-6-11 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0063 JAPAN
Established: April 1, 2011
・Website
・Instagram
*Please be aware of impersonation attempts mimicking our website.
日本語：プレスリリースのダウンロード
SBI Art Auction is pleased to announce that “The 80th SBI Art Auction | Modern and Contemporary Art” will be held on Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23, 2026, followed by “the 81st SBI Art Auction | A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection” on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Hillside Forum (Shibuya, Tokyo).
In May, we will present both our flagship auction and a special single-owner collection sale. The first-week sale, “The 80th SBI Art Auction | Modern and Contemporary Art” serves as our core auction, offering a wide-ranging selection of modern and contemporary art from Japan and abroad. The second-week sale, “The 81st SBI Art Auction | A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection,” is a dedicated single-owner sale, featuring works across multiple genres—including Nihonga (Japanese-style painting), Yōga (Western-style painting), and Ukiyo-e—drawn from one distinguished collection.
The “Modern and Contemporary Art” sale will feature LEE U-fan’s From Point (1980) as the top lot, with an estimate of JPY 50,000,000–80,000,000. Other highlights include June—Seashore at Dusk (2021) by Mr., whose solo exhibition at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum is scheduled to open this spring; Subject and Object (1966), a neon work by Joseph KOSUTH, presented at SBI Art Auction for the first time and rarely seen on the Japanese art market; and For the Love of God, Laugh (2007) by Damien HIRST, who is currently the subject of a major solo exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA). These works reflect a strong connection to the current domestic and international art scenes.
Meanwhile, the “A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection” sale will include Nude Study (1977) by KAYAMA Matazo, Tidewater by SENJU Hiroshi, and Piazza d’Italia (1974) by Giorgio DE CHIRICO. Spanning diverse artistic contexts—from Nihonga and contemporary art to metaphysical painting—the selection is curated through the unique perspective of a single collector.
■ Auction Details
“The 80th SBI Art Auction｜Modern and Contemporary Art”
・Auction: Friday, May 22 / Saturday, May 23, 2026, 12:00 PM (JST)-
・Preview: Wednesday, May 20 – Saturday, May 23, 2026
・Venue: Hillside Forum (18-8 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN)
・Total Lots: 368 (TBC)
・Bidding Methods: On-site, Telephone, Absentee, or Online
The Auction will be live-streamed on YouTube
Online catalogue will be available from Friday, May 1, 2026
“The 81st SBI Art Auction | A Passage from the Important Japanese Collection”
・Auction: Saturday, May 30, 2026, 12:00 PM (JST)-
・Preview: Wednesday, May 27 – Friday, May 29, 2026
・Venue: Hillside Forum (18-8 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN)
・Total Lots: 251 (TBC)
・Bidding Methods: On-site, Telephone, Absentee, or Online
The Auction will be live-streamed on YouTube
Online catalogue will be available from Friday, May 8, 2026
■ About Us
SBI Art Auction is a public auction house specializing in modern and contemporary art, handling works from both Japan and abroad. With registered clients in 63 countries and approximately 50% of total sales generated by international bidders, we are recognized as one of the most international auction houses in Japan. In addition to works by leading Japanese artists, we actively introduce works by international artists that are rarely available in the domestic market. *As of January 2025
Company name: SBI Art Auction Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: FUJIYAMA Tomohiro
Address: TFT Building East Wing, 3-6-11 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0063 JAPAN
Established: April 1, 2011
・Website
*Please be aware of impersonation attempts mimicking our website.
