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Collector Jennifer Gilbert Is Selling Masterpieces at Sotheby’s to Fund a New Arts Nonprofit in Detroit

The Detroit patron and philanthropist is parting with major works by Joan Mitchell, Kenneth Noland, George Rickey and Harry Bertoia to fund Lumana, an arts hub opening in Little Village in 2027.

There are many reasons art collectors decide to sell. The “three D rule”—death, divorce, debt—often applies, but collectors may choose to part with works that have gained value over time simply to free up resources for the next chapter of their collecting journeys. That might mean diversifying, acquiring work by a new generation of artists or adopting a more philanthropic approach by creating an infrastructure that supports artistic and cultural production, circulation and impact in the communities they care about. That’s what motivated Detroit philanthropist and art collector Jennifer GIlbert to sell several masterpieces from her collection with Sotheby’s. Proceeds from the sales will support Lumana, a new arts nonprofit in Detroit set to launch in 2027 that will serve as a hub for artists, designers and cultural institutions in Little Village on the city’s east side.

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Among the works going on the block is Joan Mitchell’s Loom II (1976), created during an exuberant period when she began incorporating her most celebrated sweeping, vibrant strokes of color inspired by the energies and hues of the French countryside. It will appear in The Now and Contemporary Evening Auction on May 14 with an estimate of $5-7 million. Also in the sale is a rare example of Kenneth Noland’s early Concentric Circles, Circle (1958), with an estimate of $4-6 million—the highest ever for a work by the artist at auction. Additional works........

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