Billy Childish operates at the intersection of punk authenticity and painterly tradition, creating work that refuses contemporary art world polish. His practice spans painting, poetry, music, and printmaking across five decades (over 5,000 paintings, 40+ poetry volumes, 170+ albums). "keep mojave weird" emerged from a 2025 California road trip, compressing the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree, and Lake Tahoe into compositions that feel simultaneously contemporary and timeless. The series includes grand landscapes and intimate family portraits—children frozen beneath Yuba River trees, Mono Lake's ancient alkaline ecosystem distilled to geological essence. This follows his exhibition at Yi Space in Hangzhou.

Cultural Capital

Childish's work is held in the British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, and ICA London, with recent Asian expansion through Yi Space in Hangzhou. Lehmann Maupin's galleries in New York, London, Seoul, and Hong Kong provide institutional infrastructure across Western and Asian art centers. The timing of "keep mojave weird" following Hangzhou demonstrates deliberate regional collector cultivation. His prolific output creates depth for museum retrospectives while his interdisciplinary practice generates discourse beyond visual arts.

Market Position

Childish occupies an unusual position: mature artist with primary pricing not yet fully reflected in secondary markets. Works range €45,000-€100,000 depending on scale. Limited auction presence means lower speculative activity. Lehmann Maupin's Asian expansion positions him for next-phase market development as regional institutions develop appetite. Recent Asian museum acquisitions suggest institutional buying ahead of broader demand. Prolific output means collectors can build meaningful depth at accessible investment levels.

Collection Coherence

The California landscapes dialogue with historical American landscape traditions and contemporary environmental concerns—ancient formations rendered as timeless permanence. For collections exploring East-West translation, Childish's compression of vast landscapes mirrors cultural distillation. His work pairs with German Expressionism, contemporary Chinese landscape painters, or Asian artists working in Western traditions. Anti-establishment authenticity protects against appearing fashionable—this artist remains relevant regardless of market cycles.

Laura Footes creates "auto-fiction" paintings that transform personal trauma into transcendent experience. Working entirely from memory, she paints in "a seance in a laboratory," channeling film noir, Irish Catholic iconography, and hospital neon into compositions where translucent bodies float bedbound above cityscapes. Living with Crohn's disease since childhood, she learned to see from an aerial perspective during medicated dreams—"looking down at myself from the ceiling." "Anamnesis" refers to retelling patient trauma and memory of previous existence. Works like Sertraline Dream emerge from a New York trip when canceled health coverage confined her indoors. Discovered by Tracey Emin on social media in 2022, she became the first Tracey Emin Fellow at TKE Studios.

Cultural Capital

Footes's trajectory accelerated through Tracey Emin's mentorship—from housemaid to exhibiting at SHRINE NYC (two solo shows) and Carl Freedman Gallery. Her work was acquired by Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. She received a royal commission from King Charles III for Christie's charity auction. Inclusion in Independent Art Fair's "Independent Debuts" (May 2025) positions her within showcases that launch broader recognition. She'll appear in "Crossing into Darkness" (January–April 2026) curated by Emin alongside Louise Bourgeois, Edvard Munch, and Anselm Kiefer.

Market Position

Footes occupies prime emerging territory with accessible pricing. A 2025 Christie's result of $13,810 USD establishes secondary market interest without overheating. Primary works likely range €8,000-€35,000 depending on scale. SHRINE NYC (New York/LA) and Carl Freedman Gallery provide UK-US infrastructure. Her Independent 2025 appearance signals careful positioning before major commercial push. Limited auction history creates opportunity for early collectors. Recent Artnet, Galerie Magazine, and Juxtapoz coverage indicates expanding awareness.

Collection Coherence

Footes's work functions within collections exploring psychological interiority or contemporary figuration. Her paintings dialogue with British figurative tradition—particularly Emin's confessional practice and Paula Rego's intensity. Film noir influence connects to art-cinema intersections. Works range from intimate to large scale, allowing collectors to build coherent bodies across price points. Anti-decorative approach—emotionally complex despite visual beauty—protects against superficial acquisition. For collections prioritizing authentic voice, Footes offers substance and staying power.

Yi Liu creates surrealistic paintings where Chinese mythology, folklore, and personal fantasy merge into narratives that pulse with passion and romantic heat. Working from London, the Beijing-born artist channels dreams and ancient stories—particularly "the hunt"—into compositions populated by mist-formed goddesses with butterfly wings, lovers clinging to charging bulls, and wild beasts mingling with alien-like creatures. Her process is guided by "openness and sincerity of spirit": once, a sunlight beam fell across her canvas, and she traced its luminous shape to preserve the miraculous moment. "The Hunt" series depicts epic quests about play and lust as much as sustenance—celestial yet grounded universes where people, animals, and spirits dissolve into ethereal night. Educated at Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing (BFA, MFA) and Royal College of Art London (MA Painting, 2024), Liu represents a new generation translating traditional mythology through contemporary surrealist language.

Cultural Capital

Liu occupies early emerging territory with strategic positioning. Her debut solo "Searching the Mountains" at Cob Gallery London (2024) established initial presence, followed by recent New York exhibition—notable for an artist one year post-graduation. Represented by Cob Gallery (London) and appearing at Guts Gallery, she's building presence within London's emerging scene. Education credentials are strong: Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing provides mainland Chinese grounding, while Royal College of Art MA (2024) offers UK validation. She participated in Palazzo Monti residency (Brescia, Italy). At 28-29 years old with minimal history, Liu is very early-stage emerging talent. Her trajectory depends on whether current gallery support translates to broader recognition.

Market Position

Liu represents ground-floor emerging opportunity with corresponding risk. Primary works likely range £3,000-£12,000 depending on scale. No auction history exists—she graduated only in 2024—meaning no secondary market validation. Dual London-New York gallery presence provides infrastructure but hasn't yet translated to institutional acquisitions. Collectors are betting on potential rather than established trajectory. Her Royal College of Art degree carries weight in UK contemporary circles, and Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing provides mainland credibility. For collectors in Asia and Australia seeking very early-stage Chinese contemporary painters working in London, Liu offers accessible entry with mythological content that could resonate regionally.

Collection Coherence

Liu's work functions within collections focused on contemporary Chinese diaspora artists, surrealist figuration, or mythological narratives. Her paintings dialogue with historical Chinese scroll painting traditions (ethereal, mist-filled landscapes) and contemporary surrealism. Emphasis on goddesses and cosmological imagery connects to feminist reinterpretations of classical mythology. Works pair with young Chinese artists exploring traditional subject matter through contemporary techniques. The romantic quality differentiates from more conceptual Chinese contemporary art. For collections prioritising emerging voice over established validation, Liu offers distinctive visual language at accessible price points with potential for growth.

Thea Anamara Perkins is an Arrernte and Kalkadoon artist who transforms family archive photographs into paintings questioning representations of First Nations peoples and Country. She's drawn to the "hyper-saturated, cinematic glow" of old photos and what she calls "glimmer"—moments of comfort and belonging. Part of an extraordinary dynasty including activist grandfather Charles Perkins, curator mother Hetti Perkins, and filmmaker aunt Rachel Perkins, she continues the family's "strong and ready communication." Her work explores shimmer and light as metaphors for Dreaming—pwarrtyeme meaning "to shine" in Arrernte. Recent work includes the large-scale mural Stockwoman at Sydney's Carriageworks, depicting her great-grandmother Hetty Perkins working with horses in Arltunga. Currently, production is limited as works are committed to major prizes, with upcoming European residency and biennial participation.

Cultural Capital

Perkins has accumulated exceptional validation for an artist in her early thirties: Alice Prize (2020), Australia Council's Dreaming Award (2020), Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship (2021), and AGNSW's La Prairie Art Award (2023). Three consecutive Archibald Prize finalist selections signal sustained recognition. Her work is held in National Portrait Gallery Canberra, Art Gallery of South Australia, and Araluen Art Collection. She's been included in Telstra NATSIAA, Tarnanthi, and the Fifth National Indigenous Art Triennial at NGA. Recent residencies include Cité Internationale des Arts Paris (2023). Press coverage spans Qantas Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald, and Harper's Bazaar.

Market Position

Perkins occupies a strategic position as established emerging artist with strong institutional backing. Primary works through N.Smith Gallery range AUD $8,000-$49,500. Limited current availability reflects deliberate scarcity—works directed toward major prizes and institutional acquisitions. Upcoming European residency and biennial participation will introduce her internationally, expanding collector base beyond Australia. Multiple state collection acquisitions establish baseline value while signaling museum confidence. For collectors in Asia and Australia seeking Indigenous Australian contemporary art with authentic lineage and institutional trajectory, current scarcity creates demand.

Collection Coherence

Perkins's work functions within collections exploring Indigenous contemporary practice, family archive methodologies, or Australian identity. Her paintings dialogue with historical Australian landscape traditions (particularly her revision of Drysdale and Nolan mythologies) and contemporary memory approaches. For collections examining postcolonial narratives, her work offers deeply personal yet politically potent perspectives. Works pair well with Emily Kame Kngwarreye or Gordon Bennett, while archive-based methodology connects to international artists working with family photographs. For collections prioritizing authentic Indigenous voice and matrilineal knowledge transmission, Perkins offers substance with staying power.