Phillips to launch Dropshop, a digital platform offering limited-edition releases of primary market art and objects in partnership with the artists, collaborators, and brands defining contemporary culture.
Launching 20th August with Australian Hyperrealist Cj Hendry, Dropshop will be the first and only platform in the international auction sphere that partners directly with working artists, disrupting the traditional, long-held dynamics between the primary and secondary markets. Phillips aims to collaborate with partners on every step, from conception and curation through to fabrication and promotion. Items are available for a limited time through a “buy now” e-commerce model at phillips.com/dropshop. Offerings are exclusive to Phillips’ Dropshop; once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Phillips to launch Dropshop
As the only global house focused on 20th-century and Contemporary art, design and luxury items, Dropshop hopes to revolutionize the experience of collecting in real-time.
Regularly scheduled ‘drops’ will act as a dedicated digital space for artists to directly engage with audiences and collectors around the world in a way that is distinct to Phillips. Further demonstrating Phillips’ commitment to artists working today, works purchased in Dropshop and subsequently resold in a Phillips auction or exhibition will earn the artist a resale royalty commission, enabling creators to participate in the secondary market success of their work.
Created in response to the generational shift of contemporary artists taking a more active role in self-representation, Phillips’ Dropshop is truly groundbreaking. These regular ‘takeovers’ are designed to create a dedicated space for artists to directly engage with Phillips’ global collecting community, amplifying their own voice in a personal and impactful way. As we embark on this venture, we look forward to presenting a culturally diverse range of artists, spanning both emerging and blue-chip names. With Cj Hendry’s vibrant and captivating artworks resonating with people across the globe, we are thrilled to partner with her as we launch Dropshop.
Christine Miele, Phillips’ New Retail Sales Director, Ecommerce, who was brought on to launch the initiative*
Dropshop will launch on Sunday, 20th August, with works from Australian hyperrealist Cj Hendry, an artist who embodies the spirit of self-representation, broad inclusion and democratization of the market. A first in her upcoming Crown series, Hendry’s ‘drop’ will feature one hundred bronze crowns, reminiscent of inflatables, alongside a large-scale drawing of one of the crowns. The pieces will be released on Dropshop at 10am ET on the 20th, following an in-person experience on 19th August at 432 Park Avenue, featuring a “treasure hunt” through thousands of inflatable plastic crowns. Cj is committed to the principles of zero waste in practice. Any leftover plastic crowns will be recycled and used in an upcoming exhibition. This is a testament to her dedication to sustainability and her desire to create art that is not only visually stunning but also environmentally responsible. By reusing materials, Cj is taking an innovative approach to art that is both creative and conscious.
I am an artist of sorts, an impresario masquerading as an artist. In the early days my practice was intensely linear, built solely on drawing, with mechanical draftsmanship being my focus. Over the years my hunger to build concepts bigger than a sheet of paper began to develop. I’ve come to exist within a grey area where I juggle curiosity, 2D, 3D, reality and fantasy. I am honoured to collaborate with Phillips for their first-ever Dropshop edition, and flattered to be the first for this venture. The theme of the drop is Crowns and, between the limited-edition bronze crowns available online and the live event taking place at Phillips HQ, we are bringing the concept into reality; there really is something for everyone here.
Cj Hendry
Info on future ‘Drops’ follow @phillipsauction & subscribe to phillips.com/dropshop
About the artist
Cj Hendry (b. 1988) is a New York-based artist originally from Brisbane, Australia. Hendry transforms her fascination with contemporary material culture into large-scale, hyper-photorealistic drawings. Hendry’s exhibits are intended to be actively experienced through engaging, fun, and thought-provoking exhibits. For her exhibit Monochrome, Hendry and her team built an entire multi-room “home” inside a warehouse with each room entirely monochrome-colored from floor to ceiling and everything in between. For Rorschach, guests jumped through a gigantic bouncy house maze in order to reach and finally view the impressive series. Each Cj Hendry exhibit, from Miami to Melbourne, draws massive crowds with attendees waiting in line for several hours – and, in the end, everyone leaves more enriched than when they arrived. With her celebrity clientele – and many works in private collections – Hendry’s waitlist is now well over 3,000 collectors with a wait time of up to five years. @cj_hendry
*Miele joined Phillips in Spring 2023 with a diverse range of experience and relationships in art and culture, joining Phillips from the Kehinde Wiley Shop where she rebranded and scaled the artist’s offering as his Ecommerce Director. She also co-owned and operated the mid-century design gallery reGeneration for nearly three decades in SoHo.
