Francis Alÿs - 20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Afternoon Session New York Thursday, May 10, 2018 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    David Zwirner, New York
    Private Collection, New York
    Lisson Gallery, London
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Exhibited

    New York, David Zwirner, Francis Alÿs: Sometimes Doing Something Poetic Can Become Political and Sometimes Doing Something Political Can Become Poetic, February 15 - March 17, 2007

  • 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.

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420

Camgun (gun number 52)

(i) signed, titled, inscribed, numbered and dated "#52 Francis Alÿs Mexico, D.F. 2006-7" lower left; further numbered "# 52" upper right
(ii) inscribed "Repetir Rifle carrete vertical corto" on labels affixed to the center of the sculpture

(i) graphite on vellum
(ii) wood, metal, plastic, film reels and film

(i) 23 7/8 x 35 3/4 in. (60.6 x 90.8 cm.)
(ii) 17 1/2 x 30 5/8 x 2 3/4 in. (44.5 x 77.8 x 7 cm.)

Executed circa 2005-2006.

Estimate
$15,000 - 20,000 

Sold for $15,000

Contact Specialist
Rebekah Bowling
Head of Day Sale, Afternoon Session
New York
+ 1 212 940 1250
rbowling@phillips.com

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Afternoon Session

New York Auction 16 May 2018