New York – Bonhams will offer works from the collection of esteemed American art dealer and collector, Holly Solomon (1934-2002) during Bonhams 20th / 21st Century Art Week in New York, continuing throughout a series of auctions this year. Best known for her significant contributions to the contemporary art world as a collector, dealer, and gallerist, Holly Solomon's fearless innovation and unwavering support for the avant-garde made her a pioneering force in reshaping the postwar American art landscape.

With a degree in drama and art history from Sarah Lawrence College and the Strasberg Institute, Holly's introduction to the art world began through performance. After appearing in avant-garde films and serving as a muse to blue-chip artists including Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg, Solomon quickly established herself in the radical 1960s New York art scene.

In 1969, along with her husband Horace, she opened 98 Greene Street Loft in SoHo—a groundbreaking and experimental performance venue that launched the careers of artists like Gordon-Matta Clark, Laurie Anderson, Robert Mapplethorpe and Robert Kushner, among many others. With the founding of the Holly Solomon Gallery in 1975, Holly cemented her reputation as a visionary dealer who challenged the status quo. With a vision that defied prevailing Minimalist and Conceptualist trends, Solomon championed work rooted in pattern, decoration and ornamentation. She also was fervent in giving a platform to emerging artists including Nam June Paik, Judy Pfaff, William Wegman, Joe Zucker, Mary Heilmann and Valerie Jaudon.

Featuring works created by the very artists that Solomon supported and championed throughout her prominent career, The Collection of Holly Solomon is a living, breathing archive that not only traces the arc of a transformative force in the art world, but also offers an unprecedented window into the world of a dealer who redefined contemporary art.

"It is as much an honour to present this remarkable selection of works from one of the art world's most prominent figures, as it is to work with the Solomon family to share Holly's story," commented Ralph Taylor, Global Head of 20th/21st Century Art for Bonhams. "Holly Solomon's impact on the art community was profound, and her influence on artists, especially those featured in this offering, is immeasurable. She is the heart of this collection, her presence taking center stage, making this offering not only unique, but also authentically Holly."

John Solomon, Holly's son commented: "My mother championed many iconic conceptual and visual artists like Nam June Paik, Christo, Gordon Matta-Clarke, and William Wegman. Today, their work is showcased in museums globally and seems more relevant than ever before. I know she'd not only be excited to see how far these artists and their work have come, but also how this collection's presence on the auction scene will continue to preserve their legacy."

Ten works from the collection, each reminiscent of Solomon's appreciation for the playful and radical, will hit the auction block as the initial offering of the season. Of the ten lots, two will appear in Bonhams 20th / 21st Century Evening Sale on May 14.

Estimated at $200,000 – 300,000, Model: Plug – Giant Fan, 1967 by Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022), will be included in the sale. With a deep appreciation of the radical and inventive, Claes Oldenburg was a natural inclusion in Solomon's visionary collection. Renowned for his transformation of everyday objects into monumentally scaled sculptures, Oldenburg's Model: Plug – Giant Fan is a critical study of the works best-known to his oeuvre. Constructed with cardboard, Styrofoam, string, wire, and wood, the present work showcases Oldenburg's strategy and process of combining humble materials into a whimsical yet rigorously conceived prototype.

The sale will also feature Study for Portrait of Holly, 1966, by Christo (1935-2020) estimated at $100,000 – 150,000. Acquired directly by Solomon from the artist, the present work is one of three portraits created of Holly by Christo in 1966. Depicting a young Holly dressed in a striking navy jumpsuit, rendered in oil and pastel on sketchbook paper, Study for Portrait of Holly is subsequently enveloped in Christo's signature polyethylene and twine. Through this act of wrapping, Holly's image is both preserved and abstracted in a state of temporal and symbolic tension.

Following the 20th / 21st Century Evening Sale, eight works will be offered in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale on May 15. Highlights include two video installation works by Nam June Paik (1932-2006), an artist whom Solomon fearlessly championed and represented within her gallery. They include Paik's Japanese Garden, 1994, estimated between $60,000 – 80,000, and Concerto Grosso Opus #6, 1988 estimated between $50,000 – 70,000.

Other highlights to appear in the day sale include Wrapped Magazines, 1965 by Christo (1935-2020), estimated between $50,000 – 70,000; and Portrait of Holly Solomon, 1970 by Richard Pettibone (1938-2024), estimated between $20,000 – 30,000.

Further works of art from The Collection of Holly Solomon will be offered in Bonhams auctions throughout the year. Follow Bonhams.com for more updates.