London, UK – The highly anticipated collection from British contemporary artist Mr Phantom has sparked intense discussion and excitement within the UK art market. Released through London Art Exchange (LAX) just last week, the new series has already garnered significant attention with approximately 75% of the pieces being reserved or sold.
What makes this release unique is the absence of a traditional first-come, first-served sales model. Instead, access to the collection was governed by a curated submission and screening process, a strategic move that has garnered both admiration and controversy within collector circles.
In total, LAX received over 1,000 submissions across their platform and Mr Phantom’s own digital PR channels. This led to a tight acceptance criteria, with rumours of collectors attempting to transfer or resell their placement opportunities. This unusual phenomenon has only increased demand and speculation around the release.
Market chatter has revolved around reported price guidance for smaller 60 x 60 cm works ranging from £35,000 to £50,000, while flagship 100 x 100 cm pieces have been discussed in the £100,000 to £175,000 range. These prices are subject to the artist’s discretion, but the rapid reservations have already positioned the collection as a benchmark moment in Mr Phantom’s market trajectory.
Observers have noted the growing frustration from the artist’s camp regarding speculative reselling practices seen in previous years. This release appears to combat this behavior by prioritizing long-term collectors over short-term arbitrage. However, it also acknowledges that early secondary-market activity has helped validate Mr Phantom as a rising secondary-market artist.
One market analyst commented, “Finding an artist who can cut through a saturated market and transition into the secondary sphere is like finding a needle in a haystack. What’s unusual here is that the artist and the gallery are clearly steering that transition deliberately.” This steering is largely credited to London Art Exchange, which has gained a reputation for using technology, PR intelligence, social data analysis, and proprietary auction infrastructure to amplify artist visibility.
Under the leadership of CEO Kylie James, LAX has pursued a model that differs from traditional gallery practices, embracing digital distribution, controlled scarcity, and platform-led demand generation. Many industry commentators are comparing LAX to Pictures on Walls, the influential platform that helped launch some of the UK’s most significant contemporary artists in the early 2000s.
With a roster that includes Mr Phantom, Gabrielle Malak, Pierre Simone, Deborah Jones, Christina Vega, and Charlotte Araghi, London Art Exchange is becoming the next investible gateway for collectors seeking early access to highly anticipated releases. As demand continues to rise and acceptance criteria tighten, the latest Mr Phantom collection may prove to be a significant shift in the art market, where artists have more control over pricing, access, and long-term market narrative.
For more information, please visit https://www.thelax.art.
