PHILLIPS ANNOUNCES A SELECTION OF WORKS ON PAPER, A NEW ADDITION TO MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EDITIONS AUCTIONS
THIS INAUGURAL SECTION INCLUDES A SELECTION OF WORKS ON PAPER BY JOSEPH CORNELL, DAVID SMITH, ELLEN GALLAGHER, JOHN WESLEY AND KIKI SMITH
EVENING AUCTION: 21 APRIL 2015, 6 PM (LOTS 1-102, SELECTION OF WORKS ON PAPER LOTS 1-18)
DAY AUCTION: 21 APRIL 2015, 11AM (LOTS 103-312)
VIEWING: 11 – 21 APRIL 2015
AUCTION LOCATION: 450 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10022
NEW YORK – 7 APRIL 2015 – Phillips is pleased to announce the inclusion of a selection of Works on Paper, from the forthcoming April Evening and Day Editions auctions. The Evening and Day sales will offer 312 total lots with a pre-sale low estimate of $3,604,000/ £2,422,930/ €3,318,142 and a pre-sale high estimate of $5,349,000/ £3,596,075/ €4,924,734
WORKS ON PAPER
Works on Paper is a new extension leading off the Evening session and dedicated to a vast and diverse category and will be thoughtfully incorporated into Editions sales in New York and London moving forward. This dynamic selection includes a variety of mediums from collage, to watercolor, to monoprint, as well as a range of time periods and artists. This inaugural section includes works by Sam Francis, Karel Appel, Joseph Cornell, Ray Johnson, Kiki Smith, John Wesley, and David Smith, among others.
Beginning the Evening sale the Works on Paper selection includes Robert Cottingham’s Q, 1987 (Estimate $10,000-15,000), an exquisite watercolor, in bold color of a neon sign. John Wesley Tears?, 1993 (Estimate $30,000/50,000) is a beautifully constructed acrylic in colors on paper, a drawing of a contorted female figure in bright pink and violet. Three lots of collages by the cultish artist Joseph Cornell are offered, incorporating found images cut and arranged in his profoundly sensitive and idiosyncratic style: Julie Spinasse, circa 1950-60 (Estimate $12,000-18,000); Untitled (Buddha at Sundown), 1958 (Estimate $12,000-18,000); and Collage (Putti), circa 1950-60 (Estimate $12,000-18,000).
EVENING AUCTION
The Evening section of the auction will commence at 6pm and will offer 102 works in total. In our Evening and Day Editions sessions, we are pleased to offer works from a Private American Collection, such as Brice Marden, Vija Celmins and Ed Ruscha, from nearly 100 works to be offered in various Phillips Contemporary Art sales this season in both New York and London.
Sale highlights include Ed Ruscha, Cheese Mold Standard with Olive, 1969, the catalogue cover image (Estimate $35,000-45,000), Jean-Michel Basquiat, Back of the Neck, 1983, (Estimate $300,000-500,000), and Christopher Wool, Three Women (Medium I, II, III), 2005 (Estimate $250,000-350,000). Adding more screenprints, from Andy Warhol: Superman, from Myths, 1981 (Estimate $120,000 - 180,000); Moonwalk, 1987 (Estimate $70,000 - 100,000); Camouflage, 1987 (Estimate $120,000 - 180,000); Paramount, from Ads, 1985 (Estimate $25,000 - 35,000); Lifesavers, from Ads, 1985 (Estimate $35,000 - 45,000); Mick Jagger, 1975 (Estimate $30,000 - 50,000); The Star, from Myths, 1981 (Estimate $40,000 - 60,000); and Blackglama (Judy Garland), from Ads, 1985 (Estimate $18,000 - 25,000).
The Evening Editions auction also offers a collection of five important livres d'artistes (artist’s books) by Pablo Picasso from another private American collection. All were given to the owners by Picasso and Jacqueline Roque during the early 1970's. No other artist in the twentieth century produced more artist’s books than Picasso. He was surrounded by master wordsmen and many projects grew out of friendships with writers, scholars, publishers and printers - language was essential to his work, letters and words wove through the fabric of his art, and the variety of subject matter was great.
The most important example from the collection is La Célestine (Patrick Cramer books 149), 1971 the complete bound volume of 66 etchings, including five drawings in ink, with text by Fernando de Rojas, and one of 18 given to a specific person with their name typeset on the justification page (Estimate $80,000- 120,000). The five drawings were done for the person it was given to in 1972. The 66 images were culled from his famous 347 Series specifically to illustrate this story.
A modern multiple object highlight is Salvador Dali's bronze Head of Dante from 1965 (Estimate $30,000- 50,000) produced in New York in a small edition of 9 with 18k gold leaf spoons and comes directly from the publisher’s family.
DAY AUCTION
The day section of the auction will commence at 11am the same day and will offer 208 lots. Highlights include works by Joan Miro, Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, Julie Mehretu and Damien Hirst, and many others.
PHILLIPS:
As the only international auction house to concentrate exclusively on contemporary culture, Phillips has established a commanding position in the sale of Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions and Jewelry. Through the passionate dedication of its team of global specialists, the company has garnered an unparalleled wealth of knowledge of emerging market trends. Founded in London in 1796, Phillips conducts auctions in New York and London and has representative offices throughout Europe and in the United States. For more information, please visit: phillips.com.
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