It’s a first for Sotheby’s NY. From July 16 through to July 26, the prestigious auction house will host an online sale titled “Contemporary Realism: Important 21st-Century Works.”  A total of 28 realist paintings are included in the auction, with each lot having been selected from the award winners and high-ranking finalists of the 15th International Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon Competition (2020–2021).  The ARC is a New York-based non-profit that champions realist art. Its annual international salon competition and accompanying exhibition are some of the key activities it undertakes to promote realist art worldwide.  Nearly 5,000 artists from 83 countries entered the 15th International ARC Salon Competition. Of those competition entries, 91 will be on view in the 15th International ARC Salon Exhibition at Sotheby’s NY, during the same period as the auction.  An Important Moment for Representational Art ARC co-chair and chief operating officer Kara Lysandra Ross believes …