20 For 20: COVID and the Record-Setting DST Art Collection

Throwback Series

By Jason R. Roske

There are auctions you plan for, there are auctions that take on a life of their own, and then there are auctions that represent a moment in time and stand completely on their own.

The record-setting DST Corporate Art Collection auction was firmly in the third category.

From the moment we began preparing the auction, we knew it would be good. Great art with Kansas City connections coming from a corporate dynamo was going to bring in lots of attention and activity. We had no idea that this Kansas City corporate art collection auction would go on to become the highest grossing sale in our company’s history.

There is a joke going around that says Kansas Citians dress like tourists. We wear Royals, Chiefs, Sporting and Current gear. We wear hats and shirts from the Nelson-Atkins, UMKC, WWI Museum, our favorite BBQ joints, and a thousand other examples. We can tell you about the history of our city and why it’s one of the best places in the country, if not the world, to live. When FIFA comes rolling into town this summer, we will share that passion with the world! 

What we didn’t fully anticipate was the level of energy, participation, and pride that would surround the DST Corporate Art Collection Auction. This was not just another Kansas City art auction. It became something closer to a reunion, a rediscovery, and in many ways, a celebration of a company’s cultural legacy.

And 20 years into our business, it still stands as our highest grossing auction.

The leading lot in this auction, and the image that is at the top of this post, is Anthony Benton Gude’s River City. It is a striking image of Kansas City, but more importantly, it tells a story. Gude, the grandson of Thomas Hart Benton, represents a direct link to one of Missouri’s most important artistic traditions. It shows our city like we see our city. Romantic, sunlit, natural, built up without forgetting that we are in the Midwest and enjoy being outdoors. The result we achieved for that piece was, and likely still is, an auction record for his work.

Background of the Collection

DST Systems was a major presence in Kansas City for decades. Like many forward-thinking corporations, they invested in building a corporate art collection.

What made the DST Corporate Art Collection especially compelling was its deep connection to Kansas City itself.

Much of the collection was built through purchases from local Kansas City galleries. That meant the walls of DST were filled with work by regional artists, many of whom had strong ties to the local art community. This was not just a corporate art collection. It was a reflection of Kansas City’s creative ecosystem over time.

My first experience with the collection came in late summer of 2020.

Amy and I were invited to tour the buildings, and at that point, downtown Kansas City was essentially a ghost town. Offices were empty. Parking garages, which normally would have been full during the workday, sat nearly vacant. The only people in the DST buildings were security guards, an occasional employee stopping by to grab something from their desk, and a few maintenance staff.

The collection at that time was spread across five different buildings.

We met with DST’s art curator and began walking through downtown and each building. It was one of the most dystopian, unusual and honestly unsettling experiences I have had in this business. Floor after floor of offices and cubicles sat exactly as they had been left in March. It felt like time had simply stopped.

There were still drink containers sitting on desks from what was likely someone’s last lunch before the shutdown. Trash cans had not been emptied. Papers were spread across desks mid-project. Family photos were still pinned up. Plants, some still alive, some not, sat by windows waiting for people who had not returned.

You could almost picture the moment everyone left.

There was no sense of closure in those spaces. No packing up. No clean transition. Just absence.

Walking through those buildings felt less like touring office space and more like moving through a set from a film, where everything had been staged to look the day after an apocalyptic event, except it was real. And layered into all of that were these works of art, still hanging in place, quietly witnessing it all.

It gave the collection a different kind of weight.

This was not just artwork being removed from walls. It was artwork being separated from the environment and the people it had lived alongside for years.

Behind the scenes, DST had been acquired by SS&C, and the art came with that acquisition. As an out-of-town company, they did not have the same connection to the collection, but they also were not in a rush to sell it. Between the acquisition and the disruption caused by Covid, the timeline stretched out longer than most.

By the time we were brought back to handle the sale in the summer of 2021, the trash had all been removed, the plants were either being cared for or had been disposed of and there was a smattering of people everywhere. The artwork had all been consolidated into the main office building where the most important works were installed on the fifth floor, where DST’s leadership offices had been, making the process more efficient for cataloging and for buyer pickup.

Just as importantly, DST still had a strong reputation in the community. They supported local initiatives, invested in people, and were widely respected as a company that gave back.

That goodwill mattered.

People felt good about participating in this auction. They were not just buying art. They were acquiring pieces from an organization they respected. If the company had been viewed differently, the response would not have been nearly as strong.

The Auction Experience

Once the auction went live, the response was immediate.

We saw a significant number of registrations, many from former DST employees. These were not just bidders. These were people reconnecting with pieces they had lived with and walked past every day. They remembered feeling a certain way when they saw their favorite painting, print or sculpture and they wanted to bring that home with them.

One of my favorite stories from this auction involves a DST executive who, when he was first hired, was told by Tom McDonnell to visit a local gallery and select a piece of art for his office. He was drawn to works by Kansas City artist Lawrence Mansker and asked if he could choose two.

Tom said yes.

Years later, that same executive came back and successfully bought both of those paintings in the auction. That kind of full-circle moment is rare, and it says a lot about how meaningful this collection was to the people who experienced it.

The Anthony Benton Gude River City painting carried similar weight. DST had commissioned it for their 25th anniversary. When it came to auction, it brought $29,900, the highest price of the sale and a benchmark for his work.

But what made this auction exceptional was its depth.

Helen Wendlandt’s Kansas City scene brought $24,725. Lisa Grossman’s Sunrise Over the Kaw achieved $16,000. Lawrence Mansker, Wilbur Niewald, and Anthony Benton Gude all had multiple strong results, with several works exceeding five figures.

Additional strong performances came from Richard Bunkall, Lee Robertson, Donna Carrington, and Mark English, creating consistent energy across the entire catalog.

This level of performance across multiple artists is what drives a truly successful fine art auction.

And the timing helped.

This auction took place during Covid, when people were still spending more time at home and less on travel. That created a unique environment where collectors had both the time and the resources to engage.

Why It Worked

There are several reasons this auction performed at such a high level.

First, the collection had authenticity and local relevance.

Second, there was goodwill. DST’s reputation created a positive emotional backdrop. People wanted to participate.

Third, presentation mattered. Seeing the artwork in its natural environment helped buyers picture them in their homes.

Fourth, we reached the right audience. DST and Kansas Citians were eager to own a piece of DST

Fifth, timing played a role. Being home with extra money helped greatly

And finally, the auction format created competition, which ultimately drives results.

What This Auction Taught Me About Value

Corporate collections are often underestimated

Many are built thoughtfully over time and often contain significant regional works.

Competitive bidding reveals true market value

The results were established in real time through active participation.

Reputation and presentation influence results

DST’s standing in the community, combined with strong presentation, led to broad engagement and several record-setting prices.

Notable Artists Represented in the DST Corporate Art Collection

The strength of this auction was not just in its top result, but in the depth of artists represented. Many of these results are still record prices at auction for the artist.

Top Performing Artists ($5,000+ Results):

• Anthony Benton Gude
• Helen Wendlandt
• Lisa Grossman
• Lawrence Mansker
• Wilbur Niewald
• Richard Bunkall
• Lee Robertson
• Donna Carrington
• Mark English

Additional Notable Artists in the Collection:

• Barbara Frets
• Denny Dent
• Philomene Bennett
• Jeff Aeling
• Caroline Records
• Mike Savage
• David Van Hee
• Mac Whitney
• Zigmunds Priede
• Squeak Carnwath
• Jill Dryer

Final Thoughts

Looking back, the DST Corporate Art Collection auction stands as one of the defining moments in our first 20 years.

It remains our highest grossing auction and continues to set the benchmark.

It was a Kansas City story told through regional art, shaped by community, assisted with timing, and cemented by connection.

If you are responsible for a corporate art collection, managing an estate, or considering selling art at auction, we would be happy to provide a free evaluation and walk you through what your collection could achieve in today’s market.

Contact KC Auction & Appraisal Company for a free evaluation or explore our current auctions to learn more.

Because as this auction proved, the right collection, presented the right way, can create extraordinary results.