Finding the right balance between aesthetic and monetary appreciation is the name of the game in the art world. Some of the world’s most impressive collections had humble beginnings, such as the Barnes Collection, which was amassed by Albert C. Barnes in the first half of the 20th century and includes a premier range of works by artists like Matisse, Picasso, and Renoir. While pieces were initially purchased for extremely modest sums, the trove is now estimated to be worth between $20 and $30 billion.
Today, the art market is undergoing seismic shifts, with prices and market attention seemingly evolving every day. Despite this, there is still a strong appetite for high quality art with long term investment potential. Maddox Gallery, which has three locations across London, specializes in both emerging and blue-chip art, offering a diverse selection of art across styles, mediums, and price points. Below, we explore five works from the gallery’s collection that are smart buys in the current art market climate.
Andy Warhol, $ (1) (1982). Courtesy of Maddox Gallery, London.
American artist Andy Warhol is the undisputed king of Pop art, with his bold, graphic aesthetic and nuanced employment of pop culture and recognizable celebrities and motifs. His market has showed no signs of slowing down either, expanding from $402 million in 2000 to more than $10 billion in 2025, and sales of his prints are only second to Jean Michel Basquiat. Making works by Warhol an exceptional entry point is their existence across numerous price tiers. The present $ (1) from 1982 is a rare example from his “Dollar Signs” series, as it was made outside of the main edition and numbered “8.” And unlike the artist’s signature use of appropriated imagery, the works in this series he drew wholly himself, giving them a special place within his oeuvre.
Banksy, Gangsta Rat (signed) (2004)
Banksy, Gangsta Rat (Signed) (2004). Courtesy of Maddox Gallery, London.
When Banksy first appeared on the street art scene in the 1990s, the anonymous artist’s prints were selling in the ballpark of $100. Today, the artist sits atop a market cap of over $500 million; once obscure and known by a few, Banksy is now an international name with collectors scrambling to get their hands on one of his works, making opportunities to acquire an original all the rarer. Gangsta Rat (2004) is one of those few chances, however, and exemplary of the artist’s work. Featuring spray painted tag and stenciled rat with a boombox, the piece reflects Banksy’s roots as a street artist in the 1990s.
Roy Lichtenstein, Crying Girl (1963)
Roy Lichtenstein, Crying Girl (1963). Courtesy of Maddox Gallery, London.
Last year marked the centennial of Roy Lichtenstein’s birth, revitalizing the artist’s already acclaimed work and legacy. A cornerstone of Pop art, Lichtenstein pieces have remained sought after, in no small part evidenced by the Sotheby’s May 2025 sale that saw 40 works from the Lichtenstein family estate hit the block and ultimately bring in more than $35 million. And in 2026, the Whitney Museum of American Art has slated a full retrospective, which will travel to the British Museum in 2027, promising heightened attention to his work and market.
Crying Girl (1963) features all the elements of Lichtenstein’s most iconic works, with the Ben-Day dots, comic-style figuration, and bold color scheme that is simultaneously archetypal and deeply personal.
David Hockney, Split Ink (2019)
David Hockney, Split Ink (2019). Courtesy of Maddox Gallery, London.
At 87 years old, David Hockney’s career continues to experience a series of highs. He is presently the subject of a solo exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, and has had more than a dozen solos worldwide over the past five years.
Hailing from his “My Normandy” series, Split Ink (2019) is part of a small edition comprised of only 35 signed prints and reflects Hockney’s commitment to both experimentation and rendering compositions as boldly as possible through the most refined means possible. Coupled with the strong Hockney print market—which reached £100.5 million in 2024 with an 89% sell-through rate—Split Ink would be a boon to any collection.
Mel Bochner, Amazing (2018). Courtesy of Maddox Gallery, London.
With Mel Bochner’s death earlier this year, reflections and reappraisals of the pioneering conceptual artist’s oeuvre have abounded. Recognized for his use of text and language, Bochner’s practice uncovered an entirely new facet not only of painting but artmaking itself, and his work is now understood as an integral part of contemporary art history.
Last year, 88% of his works that went to auction sold within or above their sales estimate, signaling a strong demand for his work, which are now finite. Amazing (2018) showcases all of the elements that make Bochner’s work recognizable as well as beloved; comprised of etched and silvered glass, words accentuated by exclamation marks all point to the title, resulting in a physically gleaming and textually jubilant piece.
Explore these works and more at Maddox Gallery, London.