M ichael Armitage doesn’t just paint—he rewires the way we see history. Mpeketoni might appear dreamlike at first glance, but look closer: bark cloth ripples like skin, spectral figures hover in jewel-toned pools, and a haunting backstory quietly emerges beneath the surface.
In this episode of Expert Voices, Sotheby’s specialist Ottilie Windsor unpacks how a massacre, a dance, and a centuries-old piece of cloth collide in one of the most emotionally charged works of Armitage’s career. With nods to Matisse, Goya, Gauguin, and a clear rejection of exoticism, Mpeketoni isn’t just a painting—it’s a powerful act of storytelling.
And once you’ve seen it, it won’t leave you alone.
Michael Armitage’s Mpeketoni heads to auction with an estimate of $2–3 million as part of The Now and Contemporary Evening Auction, presented in partnership with CELINE, live at Sotheby’s New York on 15 May at 7:30 PM EST.
