Los Angeles, April 16, 2025 — The art world held its breath for months, waiting for Julian Shepherd’s latest sculpture to drop. Promised for a January reveal, the piece stayed under wraps, leaving collectors antsy and critics muttering about delays. But when Celestial Anchor finally debuted at the Hauser & Wirth gallery last week, jaws hit the floor. Shepherd, the reclusive sculptor known for his gravity-defying metalworks, didn’t just deliver—he redefined what “worth the wait” means.
The unveiling wasn’t your typical champagne-and-schmooze affair. No press conference, no flashy lights. Just Shepherd, in his trademark flannel, pulling a tarp off a 12-foot-tall sculpture that seemed to float despite its 2,000-pound steel frame. Gallery staff had spent days reinforcing the floor to hold it. The piece, a swirling mass of polished titanium and raw iron, catches light in ways that make you question physics. One critic called it “a middle finger to gravity itself.”
Shepherd’s team cited supply chain snags for the delay—specifically, a shortage of aerospace-grade titanium that held up production. The sculptor, notorious for his perfectionism, refused to compromise on materials. He spent three extra months hand-finishing the piece in his Joshua Tree studio, where he reportedly slept on a cot to keep working. The result? A sculpture that’s already got collectors like tech mogul Lena Voss offering seven figures to claim it.
The gallery’s official release on April 16 confirmed Celestial Anchor as Shepherd’s largest work yet, measuring 12 feet by 8 feet with a base forged from recycled shipyard steel. It’s the centerpiece of his solo show, Unmoored, which runs through June. Advance bookings for the exhibit sold out in hours, with 4,000 tickets snapped up by April 17. The Los Angeles mayor’s office even issued a statement, calling the debut “a landmark moment for the city’s cultural scene.”
Dealers say the delay only juiced the hype. Shepherd’s last piece, Tethered Horizon, fetched $3.2 million at auction in 2023. Early bids for Celestial Anchor are already circling $5 million, though Shepherd’s camp says it’s not for sale—yet. The sculpture’s intricate welds, done by Shepherd himself, took 400 hours, per gallery records. Its reflective surfaces shift colors based on the viewer’s angle, a trick that’s got art nerds geeking out over optics.
Shepherd, 47, stayed tight-lipped at the reveal, dodging questions about the delay or his process. He just pointed at the sculpture and said, “It’s done when it’s done.” Fans ate it up. The guy’s got a cult following for a reason—he’s less artist, more alchemist, turning industrial scraps into pieces that feel alive.
The show’s run has already been extended once, with Hauser & Wirth adding weekend hours to handle crowds. Security’s been beefed up after a 2021 incident when a fan tried to “commune” with one of Shepherd’s works by climbing it. This time, guards are keeping a sharp eye on Celestial Anchor.
Shepherd’s got no social media, no website. His gallery handles all the buzz, and they’re stingy with details. What’s clear is this: the man’s late delivery didn’t just meet expectations—it obliterated them. Collectors are already whispering about his next move, but if history’s any guide, they’ll be waiting a while.
Celestial Anchor is on view at Hauser & Wirth, 901 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles, through June 30, 2025. Tickets are $25, with timed entry required. The sculpture weighs 2,000 pounds, stands 12 feet tall, and was completed on April 10, 2025, per gallery documentation.