Sotheby’s to hold auctions in Singapore and Saudi Arabia in January 2026

Sotheby’s is expanding its presence in the Asian and Middle Eastern art markets with two major auctions scheduled for late January 2026. On January 25, 2026, the auction house will hold a Modern & Contemporary Art sale in Singapore, marking its return to the city-state after a 15-year hiatus. The sale features works by Asian artists such as Yoshitomo Nara, MR, Takashi Murakami, and Ai Weiwei, alongside international names like David Hockney, Tracey Emin, Marc Chagall, and Pablo Picasso. The move capitalizes on Singapore’s growing cultural vitality and the rise of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI) in the region. Just days later, on January 31, 2026, Sotheby’s will present Origins II in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, following the success of the first Origins auction in 2025. The auction will highlight contemporary Middle Eastern and Western artists, including Mohammed Al Salem, Safeya Binzagr, Ali Banisard, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jean Dubuffet. The top lot is Pablo Picasso’s 1965 painting Paysage, estimated at $2–3 million. Additionally, a significant Rembrandt drawing, Young Lion Resting from the Leiden Collection, will be previewed in Diriyah on January 24–25 before being offered at Sotheby’s Old Masters sale in New York on February 4, 2026, with an estimate of $15–20 million. These auctions coincide with the upcoming Frieze Abu Dhabi and Art Basel Qatar fairs, underscoring the strategic importance of the Gulf region for the art market.