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  • 🔥 Alvaro minutes: Private Is the New Public + Billy Childish

🔥 Alvaro minutes: Private Is the New Public + Billy Childish

Big spenders are ghosting the auction block

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-In a Minute-

🔥 Words I Like: baller, minted, hush-hush

Private Is the new public

Massive money moves behind velvet curtains are the new normal in this so-called free market. These minted collectors slip into private deals, snatching up trophy pieces far from the paparazzi’s glare. Auction houses, once the epicenter of record-breaking sales, are left drooling over empty podiums while the real action slides into secret dinners. Old-school dealers call it a classy way to handle business, but it reeks of exclusivity overload. Works that once drew big crowds are now sealed off in hush-hush negotiations, creating a power shift where insiders exchange knowing winks while everyone else gawks from the cheap seats.

Mark Rothko, Untitled (Yellow and Blue), 1954

Estates are loving the cloak-and-dagger approach—fewer eyes mean fewer headaches. The big numbers still swirl like confetti, but no one sees it fly anymore. Critics suggest this hints at a shaky market, yet big spenders keep swaggering in, wallets wide open. Auction fans bemoan the loss of transparency, but for some baller buyers, the discretion is worth it. It’s a twisted dance between ego and stealth, fueling rumors with every sale that never surfaces.

This is a game of musical chairs, except the chairs are plated in hundred-dollar bills, and everyone scrambles for a seat while the rest of us sip overpriced cocktails. The hush-hush routine is here to stay, and the shadows will only get darker. Either you hop on this stealth train or stay stuck on the sidewalk, watching the world of art from the outside.

P.S. I just dropped something big: a new tool to generate market analysis reports for artists—detailed, smart, and free to try in beta. You’re welcome.

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-Today’s Catch-

Billy Childish

Billy Childish, Moonrise, 2017

💭 My 2 Cents: I'd be lying if I said I'm not intrigued by Childish’s rebellious approach. This moonlit scene with a neat little lightbulb reflection is a quirky nod to his outsider roots. The guy’s basically the art world’s neighbor you love to gossip about: weird, raw, and consistently collectible.

🔑 Key Numbers: An 83.3% sell-through rate is no joke, though his CAGR sits at -16.3%—not exactly bullish. However, works from the 2010s command a 53.5% premium, which “Moonrise” happily belongs to.

🧠 Why It’s a Smart Pick: The piece’s big size (152.5×152.5 cm) and introspective vibe check a lot of boxes. Childish’s crossover appeal—punk musician, poet, Stuckism co-founder—means you’re buying more than just paint on linen. Yes, there’s volatility—like playing the stock market after your third espresso—but that’s half the fun. Despite market swings, his strong institutional backing and global collector base suggest this investment could, ironically, be anything but childish.

-Whenever You Are Ready-

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See you next Wednesday!

-Alvaro (@theartmarketguy)

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Disclaimer
Not financial advice. Frame&Flame is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions.