Francis Alÿs - The Sky In A Room New York Friday, August 11, 2017 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zurich
    CAP Collection
    Passion + Transmission: International Contemporary Art from the CAP Collection, Sotheby's, New York, March 7, 2013, lot 35
    Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

  • Literature

    Arlene Bonnant, CAP Collection, Switzerland, 2005, pp. 46-49 (illustrated)

  • Artist Biography

    Francis Alÿs

    Belgian / Mexican • 1959

    Born in Belgium, Francis Alÿs traveled to Mexico in 1986 as part of a French program to assist in the aftermath of the tragic 1985 earthquake, and has lived there ever since. Throughout his career, the artist has analyzed facets of everyday urban life using a variety of media including video, drawing, installation and public action. Sign Painting Project (1993-'97) is a prime example of the artist's interest in the sprawling urbanization of Mexico City. In this early series, Alÿs drew inspiration from professional Mexican sign painters (rotúlistas) who painted large billboard advertisements throughout the city. In response to these large colorful compositions, Alÿs employed a similar style in creating small-scale paintings of familiar objects and places.  Alÿs asked various rotúlistas to copy and enlarge his paintings, displaying his work and that of the rotúlista side-by-side. This series, like many of Alÿs' other works, illustrates the artist's concerns with such themes as collaboration, banality and originality.

    View More Works

35

Untitled

(i) signed and dated "F. Alÿs 1999" lower left; further signed with the artist's initials and inscribed "FA 16/99" on the reverse
(ii) signed and dated "F. Alÿs 1995" lower right; further signed with the artist's initials and inscribed "FA 1/95" on the reverse
(iii) signed and dated "F. Alÿs 1999" lower right; further signed with the artist's initials and inscribed "FA 8/99" on the reverse
(iv) signed and dated "F. Alÿs 1999" upper right; further signed with the artist's initials and inscribed "FA 11/99" on the reverse

(i) oil and graphite on tracing paper
(ii-iii) oil, graphite, and tape on tracing paper
(iv) oil, graphite and photograph collage on tracing paper

(i) 10 7/8 x 11 1/2 in. (27.6 x 29.2 cm.)
(ii) 9 x 9 3/8 in. (22.9 x 23.8 cm.)
(iii) 11 x 13 7/8 in. (27.9 x 35.2 cm.)
(iv) 9 x 11 7/8 in. (22.9 x 30.2 cm.)

Executed in 1995-1999.

Contact Specialist
Sale Enquiries Charlotte Pettit
+1 212 940 1300
cpettit@phillips.com

The Sky In A Room

New York Selling Exhibition 14 July – 11 August 2017