Four rare, signed and editioned screen prints created by visionary designer, artist, cultural innovator and UW-Madison alumnus Virgil Abloh as part of a Wisconsin Alumni Association collaboration will be available on offer in Sotheby’s Contemporary Discoveries auction, open for bidding July 7-14. Offered as a single lot, the works represent an important chapter in Abloh's enduring relationship with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the proceeds will benefit the Virgil Abloh Scholarship Fund, supporting the next generation of creative leaders.
Created in 2015 as part of Abloh's celebrated #OffWisconsin collaboration with the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the works on paper reinterpret the University's iconic Red Shirt ™ through Abloh's distinctive visual language. Produced in collaboration with artist and educator Faisal Abdu'Allah, Chazen Family Distinguished Chair in Art and Professor of Printmaking at UW–Madison, alongside student volunteers, the edition stands as a testament to Abloh's lifelong belief in education, experimentation, and creative exchange.
A 2003 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a degree in civil engineering, Abloh transformed contemporary culture through his multidisciplinary practice and later becoming Artistic Director of Menswear at Louis Vuitton. Throughout his career, he frequently credited his time at the University with shaping the systems-thinking and intellectual curiosity that informed his work across fashion, architecture, music, art, and design.
"Virgil believed that education was one of the most powerful platforms for expanding creative possibility," said Athiththan Selvendran, the Chief Creative Officer of the Virgil Abloh Archive. "These prints capture a pivotal moment in his journey—one where his growing global voice remained deeply connected to the institution that helped shape it. Presenting them through Sotheby's while supporting scholarships for future creatives reflects the values that defined his legacy: relentless generosity, inescapable curiosity, and unbridled opportunity."
Since 2021, Shannon Abloh has led the Virgil Abloh Foundation and the Virgil Abloh Archive under the mission of preserving and advancing Virgil's design legacy while extending his impact across design, culture, and education. This includes the Virgil Abloh Scholarship Fund, established with WFAA to support University of Wisconsin–Madison students in design, textile engineering, art, and music who demonstrate financial need. The fund represents Virgil's belief in investing in the next generation; proceeds from the original Red Shirt collaboration seeded it, and proceeds from this sale will expand its transformative impact.
"Virgil Abloh fundamentally reshaped the dialogue between fashion, contemporary art, and design," said Simon Shaw, Senior Advisor, Sotheby's. "These works embody, limited to an edition size of 10, his extraordinary ability to transform everyday cultural symbols into enduring artistic statements. It is especially meaningful that proceeds will directly benefit the education of future generations of creative thinkers—a mission that reflects Abloh's own belief in opening doors for those who follow."
Reflecting on the collaboration, Faisal Abdu'Allah said: "Virgil Abloh's presence and collaboration with our students offered them a rare opportunity to engage directly with a visionary Badger who redefined what it means to be an artist, entrepreneur, and pioneer in today's interconnected creative landscape. His work demonstrated the power of cross-disciplinary thinking, seamlessly blending design, music, architecture, and culture to challenge conventional boundaries. His legacy continues to inspire emerging artists and designers to rethink the relationship between creativity, commerce, and social impact."
The signed screen prints will be on offer in Sotheby's Contemporary Discoveries auction, open from July 7 through July 14, 2026. Full proceeds will benefit the Virgil Abloh Scholarship Fund, administered by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Office of Student Financial Aid.
