A selection of high-value artworks from Detroit philanthropist and collector Jennifer Gilbert’s personal holdings generated major profit at Sotheby’s auctions this spring, with proceeds directed toward her developing nonprofit, Lumana.
Gilbert consigned a small but significant group of works by major postwar artists – including Joan Mitchell, Kenneth Noland, George Rickey and Harry Bertoia – for sale across Sotheby’s Contemporary auctions in May and its Important Design sale in June.
Early results underscore the strength of both the material and the philanthropic aim. Two marquee paintings alone brought in roughly $13.3 million, exceeding their combined pre-sale estimates.
Among the highlights was Kenneth Noland’s “Circle” (1958), which brought $5.488 million and established a new auction high for the artist. Joan Mitchell’s “Loom II” (1976) brought $7.8 million, significantly surpassing its previous sale price. Gilbert purchased it for $1 million in 2013.
Additional works, including pieces by Rickey and Bertoia, are scheduled for sale in subsequent auctions, with all proceeds benefiting Lumana, a Detroit-based arts nonprofit founded by Gilbert and located in Stanton Yards.
“I am thrilled by the results of the sale,” Gilbert said in a media release. “My nonprofit Lumana is just getting started, and I am excited that 100% of the proceeds raised will help support this new cultural nonprofit in Detroit that will uplift artists, designers and the institutions that champion them.”
Lumana is planned as a major new arts hub in Detroit’s Little Village neighborhood, where it will provide exhibition space, programming and partnerships for artists, designers and cultural institutions.
The Sotheby’s sales represented a notable moment in the transformation of Gilbert’s collection from private holdings into a funding engine for one of the city’s most significant upcoming cultural projects.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jennifer Gilbert auction nets millions for Detroit arts hub
Reporting by Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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