In 2021, the global art market accumulated aggregate sales in excess of $65 billion. This remarkable 29% increase in value in comparison to the previous year can be largely attributed to the U.S. – which remained dominant with a share of 43% of global sales by value. Much of this is driven by the sale of pieces in high-end collections, such as the work of Sandy Cohen – which is particularly prevalent in these settings.
Sandy Cohen is a famous artist whose works have managed to touch the hearts of people from all ends of the world. Her talent is incredibly rare as she is able to master a broad range of styles, themes and mediums alike. This brings a sense of magic and universality to the works she creates. She brings a more inclusive and relatable language to a larger range of audience, transcending age, social class, race, and gender. As a consequence, Cohen’s artwork has become quite prevalent in high-end collections throughout her career, which this article has summarized below.
High-End Collections
Among Sandy Cohen’s notable works is the piece she created for HRH Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco. This powerful piece depicts the heroic act of King Mohammed V who single handedly saved the Jewish citizens of Morocco from the Nazis. Cohen recounts the experience:
“I was invited to dinner with Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco. I told him I was a Moroccan Jew and my father’s family is from Casablanca. He began to tell me the story of his grandfather King Mohammed V who ruled over Morocco during WW2. The brave and compassionate King risked his life to protect his Jewish citizens. When Nazi leaders ordered the King to mark and surrender all the Jewish citizens, the Kings response was that if he is going to mark the Jewish citizens then he will have to mark all his citizens including his own children. Declaring that even his own children will be wearing a yellow star of David. He wanted the world to know that if you are Moroccan, you are a valued citizen of the country regardless of one’s religious beliefs. He risked his safety and refused to hand over the Jewish citizens to Nazi Germany”.
The painting depicts the King as a lion watching over a young jewish Moroccan girl. In the lower center portion of the piece is the Moroccan star. The star, which is usually green, is painted yellow to symbolize the yellow stars used by the Nazis to identify Jewish people. This symbolizes solidarity between all Moroccans.
Another notable series is “Blood on My Hands”. This collection is titled after the bloody hand prints painted on the bottom portion of each painting. In this series the artist is asking the viewer to examine their own actions and how they may be unknowingly contributing to some of today’s global problems. One piece addresses the atrocities of the modern day meat industries, the other is about abuse of political power, and the last covers a myriad of subjects which the artist asks the viewer to examine. The piece “Absolute Power” is owned by the personal physician of Donald Trump. It is beautifully displayed in his collection next to Warhol and Basquiat. “Vegan AF”, the second piece from the collection, was acquired by an avid art collector and renowned Swiss banker.
One of Cohen’s prominent collectors is Sheik Saud Al Thani of Qatar. The Sheik owns several works and through the shared love of art has also developed a strong friendship with the artist. The two are also developing a few animated film projects together.
A more light hearted piece titled “Turtle Power” caught the attention of famous comedian Andrew Schulz (photographed with Cohen below) who acquired it as the centerpiece for the set of his show.
The Stern family (NYU Stern School of Business), world renowned Billionaire philanthropists, have been a supporter and great appreciators of Cohen’s artwork as well as owning the largest collection of her works.
Closing Remarks
On balance, Sandy Cohen is an incredibly talented and industrious artist who has managed to break out and remain prevalent in high-end collections despite a 20-year hiatus. Her re-emergence into the industry serves as a stark reminder of her combined talent and a lifelong passion for art.
