Understanding the Jon Sarkin Catalog

Welcome to the official catalog raisonné for the work of Jon Sarkin (1953–2024). This catalog contains not only his iconic cardboard drawings, works on paper, and paintings on unstretched canvases, but also esoteric works such as complete sketchbooks, cassette audio, and poetry.

This site is lovingly maintained by the Estate of Jon Sarkin. It documents the artworks via images, and metadata such as provenance, quality, and current status. It complements our retail presence by providing high-resolution viewing, research notes, and transparent classifications.

Curatorial Designations

Jon Sarkin was an incredibly prolific artist, and our job is to organize the works in ways that will be helpful to researchers, curators, collectors, conservators, and gallerists alike.

Please note: These designations do NOT constitute a formal appraisal, nor are they a guarantee of price.

  • The Estate Collection
    Canonical works reserved by the Estate. Not for sale. Prioritized for museum loans, publications, and scholarship.

  • Exhitbition Reserve
    Exceptional works selected for major exhibitions and institutional placements. Available only by curatorial review or special arrangement.

  • Studio Selects
    Strong, representative works available through the private studio viewings and featured on our website. Ideal for private collectors.

  • The Community Collection
    Works appropriate for auction placement or broader market circulation, often duplicates/variants or outside current exhibition priorities.

  • Scholarly Archives at the Cape Ann Museum
    Studies, cassette tapes, ephemera, fragments, and process materials retained primarily for research value and historical context.

Each page page explains criteria and shows exemplar artworks.

What you’ll find here

  • Authoritative records with titles, dates, materials, dimensions, signatures/inscriptions, provenance, and Inventory IDs.

  • Deep-zoom images (open any image to inspect details).

  • Series overviews (e.g., Ladies; Works on Cardboard), exhibition checklists, and loan notes.

  • Availability indicators: Available, On Hold, Sold, NFS, Loan.

How to use this catalog

  • Search by title, subject, year, material, or series (try “skull,” “sailboat,” “cactus,” “1990s”).

  • Browse by tier, series, year, or work type (drawing, painting, collage).

  • When inquiring, reference the Inventory ID (e.g., “JS-2019-077”) so we can respond quickly.

Acquisitions, consignments, and loans

This catalog contains both available and non-available works. For purchase inquiries, consignments, or museum loans, contact the studio with the Inventory ID and your context (private collection, exhibition, press, etc.). Retail offerings are surfaced on our main site; this catalog remains the source of truth for the full body of work.

Data notes

Dates may use “circa” where appropriate; dimensions are height × width (and depth when relevant). Materials and provenance are updated as new information arrives. We welcome documentation to improve records.

Rights

All images and texts © Estate of Jon Sarkin unless noted. For press, scholarly use, or licensing, please request permission and cite the Inventory ID.

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