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Suffused with a chromatic eruption of compositional dynamism, Bayamón is a visually captivating masterpiece that pays homage to Angel Otero’s Puerto Rican roots and his humble beginnings. At once strikingly complex, the present work gradually unfolds before the eyes of the beholder, revealing a plethora of juxtaposed forms and constellations of elements that overlap and splice together. As a result, the shapes fall perfectly into place and complement each other like pieces in a puzzle.
Characterised by his bold and densely layered works created via a wholly unique method, Otero’s disruptive visual appeal has continued to captivate the attention of a global audience. First unveiled as part of Otero’s solo exhibition Born in the Echoes held at Lehmann Maupin Hong Kong in 2016, this will be the first time Bayamón is offered at auction. The present work exemplifies Otero’s irrefutably innovative approach to painting and is a continuation of the artist’s watershed Oil Skin series, one of Otero’s most iconic and recognised sequence of works which he began creating in 2010.
Installation view of the current work (right) at Hong Kong, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, Born in the Echoes, 26 May – 2 July 2016To achieve the effect of his Oil Skin paintings, the artist undergoes an arduous process of pouring thick layers of oil paint onto panels of Plexiglas, whereby allowing it to semi-dry before delicately flaying off the ‘skins’. He then cuts them up and reconstructs the pieces with fabrics onto the canvas as a free-form collage, adding a more sculptural dimension that extends beyond the constraints of two-dimensional painting. This act of ‘deformation’ is part of Otero’s disruptive technical process, which makes him one of the most exciting and innovative artists working today.
A Recollection of Memories
“I was embracing memory as a universal language. I was thinking about how these works, through the process of their making, took me back to many old thoughts and recollections. I’m not trying to reinterpret a specific memory, but rather embrace the idea of it.”
— Angel OteroBayamón features a barrage of visual cues and vigorous marks – resulting in an amalgamation of pure linear elegance, tonal vibrancy, and painterly gesture. Named after the eponymous Puerto Rican city, Bayamón touches on numerous references pertaining to Otero’s childhood and his cultural background, evoking a recollection of past memories in his native country. Reflecting on how the nature and formulation of memories have influenced his artistic practice, Otero explains, ‘These works are so mine. I’m constantly thinking about the concept of home, but also about the different departures that I can take from it, converting into an interesting formal excuse to make these paintings that are very meaningful to me. I feel that I have always been on this constant rediscovery or re-questioning myself: where I’ve come from, where I am, where I grew up. Where I’m at the present moment, and how I relate that to my past.’ i
Detail of the present workInfused with a deep sense of nostalgia, viewers may discover subtle hints of everyday objects embedded within Bayamón such as wind chimes, an iron gate, lace, and dried flowers – all items which hold a special place in Otero’s heart as well as having the ability to shape his individual identity. Tinged with earthy tones and geometric shapes of sky blue, the artist’s canvas brings to mind the soft warm glow of the Caribbean sun.
Oscillating between flatness and three dimensionality, Bayamón exists almost as a sculptural painting, melding together the tactile qualities of sculpture with the colours and forms often displayed within paintings. Otero’s praxis can be understood as disruptive in the way in which he experiments with concepts such as texture and tactility to break free from conventional strictures. Characterised by the physical elements of Bayamón, Otero conjures a visually bewitching synthesis between the fragmented graphic qualities of collage and the fluid integration of painting and it invites viewers to embark on his journey down memory lane.
Angel Otero on the process of creating his ‘oil skins’
Video Courtesy of Hauser & WirthAn Affinity with Abstraction
Besides probing the notion of memory, Otero’s practice has also been deeply engaged with the language of abstract image making. Bayamón undoubtedly marks the culmination of this experimentation and fuses art historical references ranging from Willem de Kooning, Pablo Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, and Mark Bradford amongst other Abstract Expressionists. The artist’s working method has also been described as one of erasure – by obscuring his personal recollections through his spontaneous and material-based techniques. Evidently in the present work, Otero incorporates etching as a means of obliteration where he painstakingly scrapes away layers of pigment, creating rigorous acts of mark-making.
Bayamón belongs to a body of work in which Otero began delving deeper into abstraction. Composition by de Kooning (1955) particularly draws parallels to the way in which both artists explore the concept of abstraction. Imbued with bold colours, gestural brushstrokes and angular geometric configurations, Otero and de Kooning’s works both exude a sense of coarseness that is uniquely their own.
Willem de Kooning, Composition, 1955
Artwork: © 2023 The Willem de Kooning Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York“The work wasn’t just about making something cool and unique but it became almost a shield of me being able to explore the subjects that I wanted and the process eventually almost acted as a filter between the directness of me and the subject. The process of abstracting all these direct subjects could keep me safe.”
— Angel OteroOtero sees abstraction as a way to safeguard his personal narratives, being wary not to disclose his full identity; it establishes barriers between what is real and imagined. On this he shares, ‘My plan is not to reveal them directly; it’s about hopefully finding ways to transform them in ways that people are going to feel but not necessarily recognise.’ii Bayamón visually captures Otero’s technical bravura and exemplifies the fully-fledged expressive power of Otero’s work.
Collector’s Digest
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Born 1981 in Puerto Rico, Angel Otero lives and works in Brooklyn. He received both his BFA and MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago, graduating in 2009.
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Otero’s most recent solo exhibition includes Angel Otero. Swimming Where Time Was which ended at Hauser and Wirth, New York in 2022.
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Otero’s top 5 results at auction have all been set in the past 2 years, indicative of the strength of his market. This includes a comparable painting titled All Smiles (2019) which was sold by Phillips Hong Kong in March 2023, where it doubled its high estimate.
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The artist has also held solo exhibitions at Lehmann Maupin, New York, NY (2021); Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, NY (2017); Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, TX (2016); Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain (2015); SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah, GA (2013); and Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, NC (2012), among others.
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The artist’s works are housed in numerous public and private collections including the Long Museum, Shanghai; Berezdivin Collection, Puerto Rico; Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY; DePaul University Museum, Chicago, IL; Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond.
i Angel Otero, quoted in Valentina Di Liscia, ‘Painter Angel Otero on Solitude and What It Means When You Can’t Go Home’, Hyperallergic, 14 August 2020, online
ii Angel Otero, quoted in Taylor Dafoe, ‘Act First and Then Think: Artist Angel Otero on How to Turn Failure Into Fuel for Creativity’, Hyperallergic, 10 April 2019, online
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Provenance
Lehmann Maupin, Hong Kong
Acquired from the above by the present ownerExhibited
Hong Kong, Lehmann Maupin, Born in the Echoes, 26 May - 2 July 2016
325
Bayamón
signed, titled and dated 'Angel Otero 2016 ""Bayamón""' on the reverse
oil paint and fabric collage on canvas
213.4 x 152.4 cm. (84 x 60 in.)
Executed in 2016.
Estimate
HK$700,000 - 1,000,000
€82,000-117,000
$89,700-128,000
Sold for HK$1,079,500
Anastasia Salnikoff
Head of Mid-Season Sales
+852 2318 2014
anastasiasalnikoff@phillips.com
Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2001
WatchesHK@phillips.com
Disruptors: Evening Sale of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Design and Watches
Hong Kong Auction 25 May 2023
301
Anna Park
Nude
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$698,500
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302
Wing Shya
Three works: Happy Together Stills (i) The Talk at Bar Sur; (ii) Prologue 2; (iii) Two to Tango
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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303
Rolex
Ref. 6536/1
Model: Submariner
An impressive, attractive and rare stainless steel diver’s wristwatch with center seconds, black lacquered dial and braceletEstimate HK$240,000 - 480,000
Sold for HK$508,000
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304
Patek Philippe
Ref. 5207P-001
An exceptionally fine and rare platinum perpetual calendar minute repeating tourbillon wristwatch with small seconds, moon phases, leap year, day and night indication, additional solid caseback, setting pin, Certificate of Origin and presentation boxEstimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$4,826,000
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305
Cartier
Ref. 2774
Model: Crash
A rare, possibly unique and exquisite white gold and diamond-set asymmetrical wristwatch with Certificate of Origin and presentation boxEstimate HK$500,000 - 1,000,000
Sold for HK$990,600
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306
Audemars Piguet
Ref. 14802ST
Model: Royal Oak Jubilee
An extremely attractive and rare limited edition stainless steel wristwatch with salmon dial, date, bracelet, certificate and presentation box, numbered 622 of a limited edition of 1,000 pieces, made in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Royal OakEstimate HK$600,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for HK$952,500
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307
Fernando Campana and Humberto Campana
'Bolotas' armchair
Estimate HK$120,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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308
Mr.
Misaki
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$3,302,000
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309
This lot is no longer available.
310
Yayoi Kusama
I Who Sing in Celebration of Humanity
Estimate HK$7,500,000 - 9,500,000
Sold for HK$8,509,000
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311
André Butzer
Untitled
Estimate HK$700,000 - 900,000
Sold for HK$889,000
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312
Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret
Bookshelf with cabinets, model no. 14, from 'L’Équipement de la Maison' series
Estimate HK$150,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$304,800
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313
Cartier
Ref. WGTA0044
Model: Tank Asymétrique
A rare, fine and attractive limited edition yellow gold asymmetrical wristwatch with certificate and presentation box, numbered 89 of a limited edition of 100 piecesEstimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$241,300
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314
Rolex
Ref. 6241
Model: Cosmograph Daytona
An extremely rare and attractive yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with champagne dialEstimate HK$940,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$1,092,200
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315
Cartier
Ref. WGTA0088
Model: Tank Chinoise
A rare, "like-new" and elegant limited edition yellow gold rectangular-shaped wristwatch with warranty and presentation box, numbered 83 of a limited edition of 150 piecesEstimate HK$100,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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316
This lot is no longer available.
317
KAWS
COMPANION
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
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318
Andy Warhol
Figures on a Busy Street
Estimate HK$450,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$444,500
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319
Nicolas Party
Trees
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$12,550,000
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320
David Hockney
The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven) - 4 May
Estimate HK$680,000 - 850,000
Sold for HK$1,079,500
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321
Takashi Murakami & Virgil Abloh
"FLOWER"
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$2,921,000
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322
Anish Kapoor
Non Object (Mirror)
Estimate HK$3,800,000 - 4,800,000
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323
Gio Ponti
Coffee table
Estimate HK$120,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$152,400
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324
Gio Ponti
Pair of armchairs, model no. 247, from the 'Modern by Singer' series
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$114,300
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325
Angel Otero
Bayamón
Estimate HK$700,000 - 1,000,000
Sold for HK$1,079,500
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326
Stanley Whitney
Stay Song 27
Estimate HK$1,800,000 - 2,800,000
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327
Rafa Macarrón
343 Almas
Estimate HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for HK$1,016,000
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328
Vacheron Constantin
Ref. 44018
Model: 222
A very elegant and attractive yellow gold wristwatch with date and integrated braceletEstimate HK$250,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$508,000
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329
Audemars Piguet
Ref. 25654BA.OO.0944BA.01
Model: Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
An extremely fine, rare and well-preserved yellow gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with MK I dial, moon phases and integrated braceletEstimate HK$470,000 - 940,000
Sold for HK$660,400
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330
Patek Philippe
Ref. 3940
A rare and attractive yellow gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, leap year, 24-hour indication, Certificate of Origin and presentation boxEstimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$508,000
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331
RETNA
He's A Criminal No Different From Me. One Could Argue I Could Be Painted With The Same Brush
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$762,000
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332
This lot is no longer available.
333
José Parlá
New Language Forms
Estimate HK$380,000 - 580,000
Sold for HK$355,600
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334
Takashi Murakami & Virgil Abloh
"ARROWS AND FLOWER"
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
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335
Aya Takano
In the 30th Year of the Showa, the Day the Fire Flowers Rose
Estimate HK$500,000 - 800,000
Sold for HK$635,000
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336
Katherine Bernhardt
Six Papayas
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$368,300
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337
Cartier
Ref. 1734
Model: Tank Américaine
A very fine and rare limited edition platinum wristwatch with salmon dial and presentation box, numbered 16 of a limited edition of 30 pieces made for the 150th anniversary of the Swiss ConfederationEstimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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338
Patek Philippe
Ref. 5065A
Model: Aquanaut
An attractive and rare stainless steel wristwatch with center seconds, date and presentation boxEstimate HK$160,000 - 310,000
Sold for HK$330,200
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339
Franck Muller
Ref. 2870 NADF
Model: Chronographe Double Face
A rare and attractive yellow gold double-faced chronograph wristwatch with two-tone silvered dials, pulsations, telemeter and tachymeter scales, Certificate of Origin and presentation boxEstimate HK$80,000 - 160,000
Sold for HK$190,500
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340
Jean Prouvé
Sun shutter, designed for schools in Cameroon
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$101,600
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341
Jean Prouvé
Sun shutter, designed for schools in Cameroon
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$101,600
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342
Wolfgang Tillmans
paper drop (Studio) I
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$177,800
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343
Wolfgang Tillmans
paper drop (London) II
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$139,700
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344
Hiroshi Sugimoto
North Pacific Ocean, Ohkurosaki
Estimate HK$160,000 - 240,000
Sold for HK$215,900
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345
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Bay of Sagami, Atami
Estimate HK$160,000 - 240,000
Sold for HK$228,600
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346
Ron Arad
'Big Easy Volume 2' armchair
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$190,500
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347
Gio Ponti
'Diamond' flatware service for 24
Estimate HK$190,000 - 280,000
Sold for HK$254,000
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348
Vacheron Constantin
Ref. 49152/000A-9540
Model: Overseas Chronograph
A fine and rare stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with date, guarantee and presentation box, numbered 91 of a limited edition of 100 pieces made for the Greek marketEstimate HK$120,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$165,100
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349
Rolex
Ref. 16520
Model: Cosmograph Daytona
A very fine and well-preserved stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, guarantee and presentation boxEstimate HK$180,000 - 280,000
Sold for HK$254,000
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350
Audemars Piguet
Ref. 26300ST.OO.1110ST.08
Model: Royal Oak Chronograph
A fine and attractive stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with date, bracelet, Certificate of Authentication and presentation boxEstimate HK$160,000 - 320,000
Sold for HK$304,800
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351
Rolex
Ref. 1680
Model: Submariner, “Red Sub”, MK II
A rare and attractive stainless steel diver’s wristwatch with center seconds, date, MK II dial, bracelet and presentation boxEstimate HK$120,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$190,500
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352
After Jean-Michel Basquiat
Flexible
Estimate HK$450,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$533,400
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353
Kenny Scharf
Unique Surfboard
Estimate HK$450,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$406,400
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354
Poul Kjærholm
'Hammock' lounge chair, model no. PK 24
Estimate HK$90,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$114,300
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355
Urwerk
Ref. UR-105M
Model: Dark Knight
A fine, rare and unusual limited edition titanium wristwatch with three-dimensional satellite hour display, power reserve, warranty and presentation box, numbered 10 of a limited edition of 77 piecesEstimate HK$180,000 - 280,000
Sold for HK$304,800
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356No Reserve
Rolex
Ref. 126000
Model: Oyster Perpetual 36
A attractive stainless steel wristwatch with center seconds, “Tiffany” blue lacquer dial, bracelet, guarantee and presentation boxEstimate HK$60,000 - 120,000 •
Sold for HK$203,200
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357No Reserve
Alain Silberstein
Ref. TMA1-002
Model: Tourbillon Volant
A very rare and unusual limited edition stainless steel semi-skeletonised tourbillon wristwatch with date, numbered 1 of a limited edition of 9 piecesEstimate HK$80,000 - 160,000 •
Sold for HK$139,700
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358
KAWS and Estudio Campana
KAWS: MONSTER Chair
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$381,000
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359
KAWS
UNTITLED
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$419,100
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360
Hans J. Wegner
'Valet' chair, model no. 540
Estimate HK$40,000 - 60,000
Sold for HK$133,350
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361
Arne Jacobsen
'Egg' chair model no. 3316 and later ottoman, model no. 3127
Estimate HK$30,000 - 50,000
Sold for HK$35,560
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362
Yoshitomo Nara
Hand Searching
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$584,200
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