Arizona’s Largest Contemporary Art Auction to Spotlight Major Latin American and Women Artists Oct. 17

More than 400 Works Will Cross the Block During Scottsdale Gallery’s Largest Art Auction to Date

From a three-dimensional work by Venezuelan master Jesús Rafael Soto to paintings by Françoise Gilot and Emily Mason, the Larsen Fall Art Auction will return to Scottsdale Saturday, Oct. 17, with works by acclaimed women artists and some of the most celebrated names in Latin American art.

Oswaldo Vigas, “Grupo Azul,” 1976

Among the 440 lots set for sale during Arizona’s largest contemporary art auction at Larsen Gallery in Scottsdale are works by three major figures in Latin American art: Jesús Rafael Soto, Chilean artist Roberto Matta and Venezuelan artist Oswaldo Vigas. The auction will also feature works by acclaimed women artists, including Françoise Gilot, Emily Mason and contemporary sculptor Beth Cavener.

Together, these works have a combined estimated value of between $580,000 and $930,000.

“This is one of those auctions where the strength really becomes apparent when you start looking closely at the individual works,” said Larsen Gallery’s Mary Holford. “We have major figures in Latin American art represented alongside women whose work has earned serious attention from collectors, and the works themselves are all very different from one another. That range is part of what makes this fall auction so interesting and the works so appealing.”

Françoise Gilot, “Springtime in the Hills,” 1992

Jesús Rafael Soto, “Variantes Vertical,” 1998

Among the Latin American selections is Oswaldo Vigas’s 1976 oil on canvas “Grupo Azul,” which is estimated to fetch between $130,000 and $180,000. The large-scale work measures 56.5 inches x 45 inches. Oswaldo Vigas’s 1985 oil on canvas, “Duende Azul,” measuring 72.5 inches x 51 inches, is also being offered.

Oswaldo Vigas’s career spanned more than six decades. Initially trained as a doctor, Vigas soon turned to art, with pre-Columbian imagery and European modernism influencing his paintings, prints and ceramics.

Jesús Rafael Soto’s “Variantes Vertical,” created in 1998, carries an estimate of $100,000 to $200,000. Made from painted wood with metal mounting hardware, the three-dimensional work measures 40.5 inches x 40.25 inches x 6.75 inches deep. The Venezuelan artist moved to Paris in 1950, where he became part of the city’s avant-garde art scene and explored movement, space and perception in his work.

Also being offered is Roberto Matta’s 1995 oil on canvas, “Untitled,” measuring 53.5 inches x 79 inches. The Larsen Gallery estimates the work will sell for between $70,000 and $100,000. A Chilean painter and sculptor, Matta worked in both Europe and the United States, with his often dreamlike work drawing from Surrealism and his interest in the subconscious mind.

The auction will also spotlight works by women artists whose careers span different generations and mediums. Among them is Françoise Gilot’s 1992 oil on canvas measuring 28.75 inches x 36.25 inches titled “Springtime in the Hills.” Gilot’s career spanned more than 70 years, with the French painter continuing to create well into her 90s while developing her own distinctive approach to color, composition and figurative work.

Emily Mason, “Starboard,” 2008

Emily Mason’s 2008 oil on canvas, “Starboard,” highlights the American painter and printmaker’s unique approach to abstract painting.

Beth Cavener, “Untitled (Barrel with Kid),” 2002

Sculptor Beth Cavener’s striking large-scale work, “Untitled (Barrel with Kid),” is also being offered. It stands more than 10 feet high and combines stoneware with acrylic, cloth, rope, iron, metal and wood. Cavener often uses life-sized animal forms and expressive poses to explore human emotions, including fear, desire and vulnerability.

These works represent just a small portion of the artwork being offered during the 21st installment of the biannual Larsen Art Auction. The sale will include contemporary, modern, Southwestern, Native American and Latin American paintings as well as limited-edition prints and sculptures, with values ranging from several hundred dollars well into six figures.

The auction comes as Larsen continues to attract collectors and consignors well beyond Arizona. The 35-year-old Larsen Gallery has generated more than $25 million in lifetime auction sales, with its most recent sale, held in April 2026, drawing buyers from more than 40 states and 20 countries.

The event has also attracted several notable consignors over the years, including rock legend Alice Cooper, who previously consigned an Andy Warhol work through Larsen Gallery.

Auction day at Larsen is also livelier than the traditional fine-art auction experience. Award-winning auctioneer Jason Brooks keeps the crowd engaged with humor and plenty of audience interaction.

Collectors can view available lots a full month ahead of the sale, and Larsen will also host a preview party Wednesday, Oct. 14. Live, telephone, absentee and online bidding will be available throughout the auction Saturday, Oct. 17.

For more about the Larsen Art Auction, visit LarsenArtAuction.com or follow developments on Facebook, X or Instagram.