Francis Alÿs - Contemporary Art Day Sale London Wednesday, October 10, 2012 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Goff and Rosenthal, New York
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • 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

185

Untitled (La Theorie des Ensembles)

1999
oil, graphite and tape on vellum
24 × 21 cm (9 1/2 × 8 1/4 in)
Signed and dated ‘Francis Alÿs 1999’ on the reverse. This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity

Estimate
£10,000 - 15,000 

Sold for £11,250

Contemporary Art Day Sale

11 October 2012
London