Alex Rodriguez to sell Basquiat, Prince paintings from private art collection for estimated $6M
MLB legend Alex Rodriguez is set to sell a pair of paintings from his private collection that are expected to fetch more than $6 million at auction.
The former New York Yankees great’s paintings will be auctioned at Phillips in London. The works include Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1984 piece “Pink Elephant with Fire Engine” and Richard Prince’s 2014-16 piece “Mustang Painting.”
“I have been collecting for a decade. A number of gallerists and advisers pointed me in the right direction, and I have been in conversation with several artists, whose studio practice seem close to my own as an athlete.”
The two paintings were on display in Rodriguez’s home in Florida. The Basquiat piece is expected to sell for 3 million to 4 million pounds ($3.8 million to $5 million) and the Prince work is expected to sell for 700,000 to 1 million pounds ($887,000 to $1.3 million).
Both paintings are available at public auction for the first time. Bids are expected at Phillips’ “Evening Sale of 20th Century and Contemporary Art” on June 27.
“Alex Rodriguez has solidified his reputation as one of the greatest athletes in American history, but one important aspect of his life that is far less well-known to the public is his life as a collector of contemporary art,” said Robert Manley, Phillips’ worldwide co-head of 20th Century and Contemporary Art. “Over the last ten years, since he began his collecting journey, Alex has acquired an exceptional collection of works, featuring some of the art scene’s most coveted names, and we are honored to have been entrusted with the sale of these two extraordinary paintings.”
After a lengthy career in professional baseball, Rodriguez currently works as a television analyst. He also founded A-Rod Corp., with investments across various sectors, including real estate.
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Rodriguez earned more than $450 million in salary during stints with the Yankees, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners.