In the first half of 2025, the contemporary art market achieved impressive growth rates, proving that investing capital in works by contemporary artists not only provides prestige, but increasingly offers real and spectacular returns. Works by artists such as Basquiat, Kusama, Banksy and Nara have attracted the attention of collectors and investors from around the world. We present the 2025 report: contemporary art as an investment.
Contemporary art as an investment – 2025 report: Records at Christie’s and Sotheby’s auctions
Christie’s and Sotheby’s auctions in London and New York in the first quarter of 2025 not only brought great excitement, but also landmark results. At the “20th/21st Century Evening Sale” auction at Christie’s, Banksy’s work “Crude Oil (Vettriano)” reached a price of £4.3 million. Meanwhile, Yoshitomo Nara’s iconic painting “Cosmic Eyes (in the Milky Lake)” reached a price of £9 million.
At Sotheby’s shone Jean-Michel Basquiat,. His painting “Warrior” found a buyer for £5.58 million. The surprise was Glenn Brown’s work “The Tragic Conversation of Salvador Dali,” sold for more than £5.1 million – more than triple the artist’s previous record.
These successes confirm that the market for contemporary works is in an intense growth phase. Therefore, collectors’ interest is not waning, despite the global economic instability.
Tamara Lempicka, Bacon and sculpture as an alternative
The year 2025 also brought a resurgence of interest in Tamara Lempicka’s work. Her 1928 “Portrait of Dr. Boucard” sold at Christie’s for £6.63 million, surpassing estimates and a reminder of art déco’s timeless charm. Once again, contemporary art as an investment has performed fantastically.
Among sculptures, dynamic growth has also been noted. Specialists see this both in the market for ancient art (such as Giambologna’s $6 million bronze “Sleeping Nymph”) and contemporary realizations. In turn, these are increasingly appearing in prestigious private and corporate collections.
Francis Bacon isn’t far behind – his 1980 “Study for a Self-Portrait” fetched a price close to £5.5 million, confirming the longevity of interest in the big names of the 20th century.
Contemporary art as an investment – Report 2025: Poland on the global art market map
The Polish art market is also attracting increasing attention. Records were set at DESA Unicum auctions in 2024 and early 2025. “Sunken City II” by Andrzej Wróblewski reached the highest price ever for a work by the artist. On the other hand, Roman Opalka’s works from his famous number series exceeded the ceiling of 4 million zlotys.
Also joining the ranks of the most expensive works sold in the country were Jacek Malczewski’s “Self-Portrait with Skull” (PLN 4.2 million) and a work by Maurycy Gottlieb from the 19th century.
These transactions show that Poland is becoming not only a regional, but also a European center for the art trade. Therefore, investors are increasingly recognizing the potential of local classics.
Contemporary art as an investment – Report 2025: Stability or Dynamism?
For an investor, the choice between ancient and contemporary art remains a matter of strategy and risk profile. Ancient art – such as works by Picasso, Giambologna or Malczewski – is a guarantee of prestige, stability and lower market volatility.
Contemporary art, on the other hand, although riskier, offers high return potential. This is confirmed by the spectacular increases in the value of works by Basquiat, Kusama, Hirst or Glenn Brown.
It is also worth noting the growing popularity of contemporary sculpture as a form of alternative investment. Mainly due to its uniqueness, durability of materials and possibility of display in public spaces.
Contemporary art as an investment – Report 2025: Diversification as the key to success
Experts unanimously emphasize: an effective investment strategy in 2025 is based on diversifying an art portfolio. Combining classical and modern works, painting and sculpture, and investing both locally and globally – allows you to minimize risk and maximize potential returns.
Thanks to the art market’s low correlation with traditional financial instruments, investing in contemporary art also becomes an effective hedge against inflation and capital market volatility.
Summary – contemporary art as an investment, report 2025
- The most expensive work of the half-year remained Picasso’s painting “Femme à la montre,” sold for $139.4 million.
- Basquiat, Kusama, Hirst, Banksy and Nara are the undisputed stars of the contemporary market in 2025.
- The Polish market is experiencing dynamic growth – especially for Opałka, Wróblewski and Malczewski.
- Contemporary sculpture is growing as an investment trend – an alternative with high growth potential.
- Investors should combine ancient and contemporary art, building a balanced portfolio with high growth potential.
