First Access grants collectors a priority window to acquire works at their estimated market value before they enter the live auction.

The catalogue opens April 21 via online portal; patrons will receive a password to browse the collection. First Access also unlocks entry to the Collector’s Preview on Friday, May 29 from 5-6 PM and Saturday, May 30 from 3-4 PM.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 14, 2026

Art Shopping Network® Reveals Featured Artists and Opens First Access for Acquired Taste Ahead of May Premiere at HOMME DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acquired Taste is a matter of preference and sensibility.

With that ethos, Art Shopping Network® (ASN) introduces First Access for Acquired Taste, its two-day live cultural bazaar and auction benefit taking place May 29–30, 2026, at HOMME DC.

ASN also announces the featured artists for Acquired Taste, exhibiting a cross-generational roster spanning institutional, emerging, and street-based practices. Highlights include works by Mel Chin, Holly Bass, and the late Chuck Close, alongside a dynamic cohort of contemporary artists such as Lisa Brown, Clarence James, Mia Delorés, Sherman Fleming, and more.

Beginning today, collectors may secure First Access to acquire works prior to public bidding through purchase of the official Acquired Taste catalogue. The private acquisition portal launches April 21, when select artworks may be purchased at market value before entering the live auction.

Acquired Taste Issue 1 pairs original contributions from Alexis Gomez and Shori Sims with an exclusive stewardship interview tied to Chuck Close’s Self-Portrait (Yellow Raincoat), framed by archival Polaroids that position the catalogue as a collectible document of process, authorship, and cultural memory.

The catalogue will be available for in-gallery purchase and pick-up during the exhibition, with shipping options available. First Access includes entry to the in-person Collector’s Preview taking place from 5–6 PM on Friday, May 29 and 3–4 PM on Saturday, May 30.

This mechanism reflects ASN’s founding premise: to socialize art-buying while preserving the thrill, transparency, and communal energy of acquisition. As participating artist Dany Green reflects, “The value of art comes from the amount of energy it holds. The artist as conduit imbues the work with energy, and the artwork holds on to it. Now the artwork acts as a mirror, reflecting that energy to the viewer.”

Acquired Taste presents a survey of contemporary practice, comprising painting, sculpture, collage, photography, illustration, flyposting, mixed media, and printmaking. Within the exhibition, distinct genres emerge—surrealism among vivid abstractions, still life, and what artist Estéban Whiteside terms “concrete oppressionism,” alongside Maurice James’ articulation of “Black propaganda,” and a range of self-portraiture and figurative languages that push both mastery and experimentation.

The program continues ASN’s commitment to accessibility and market participation at all levels.

“Art Shopping Network has historically achieved a 70% sale-through rate, with average hammer prices around $350—proving that collecting can be both meaningful and attainable,” says Joshua Glover, ASN auctioneer. “As we look ahead, we’re excited to steward works from a new echelon of artists while maintaining affordability as a core principle.”

Strategically placed, entry-point pieces by Heather Jones, Sydney Vernon, JD Deardourff, and even Steven M. Cummings (starting at one dollar) are designed to catalyze bidding. These works are expected to drive early momentum across both auction evenings, setting the tone for competitive bidding and collector engagement.

On Saturday, May 30, Acquired Taste extends into live commerce with a two-hour special presented by Torrents Creative Media, the exhibition’s Cultural Media Sponsor. Drawing inspiration from legacy platforms such as Home Shopping Network and QVC, the segment will feature a curated marketplace of music ephemera, including archival vinyl and prints from Washington, D.C.’s leading street artists. Experience Divorce Culture’s “Smash ICE” posters, works by Más Paz, and a live, in-studio activation by Diego Montoya (“Dieglo”), who will produce custom airbrushed garments.

Acquired Taste unfolds as both exhibition and broadcast, inviting collectors to experience the work in-gallery at HOMME DC or live from anywhere in the world. The program will stream via the Art Shopping Network website, YouTube Live, and Instagram Live, with expanded access on Boxcast across Smart TVs (Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Apple TV), transforming the auction into a shared, global moment of acquisition. Livestream viewers will have the ability to bid live through ASN’s online portal, participating directly in the sale from wherever they are.

Portions of every bill of sale will benefit Anacostia Community Museum, Martha’s Table, Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective, and WHUT-TV. Through this model, ASN is dedicated to cultural preservation, community activism, and the material support of institutions working across food security, education, media, and public health.

Acquired Taste takes place on May 29 from 6-10 PM and May 30 from 4-10 PM at HOMME DC, located at 2000 L St NW, Washington, D.C.

First Access is now available for $30. The public auction lots will be released April 21.

To secure First Access and learn more, visit ArtShoppingNetwork.com and follow ASN on Instagram.