Francis Alÿs - 20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Afternoon Session New York Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | Phillips

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale,...

New York Auction 15 May | On View at 450 Park Avenue

  • Provenance

    Private Collection, Monterrey
    Sotheby's, New York, November 16, 2004, lot 50
    Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

  • Exhibited

    Mexico City, Museo de Arte Moderno, Lesa Natura: Reflexiones sobre ecología, June 3 - August 17, 1993, nos. 4-8, p. 54 (Miss Amazonia illustrated, p. 37)

  • 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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Property from a Private Collection, Florida

359

Francis Alÿs

Miss Amazonia, Miss Costa Rica, Miss Ecuador, Miss Lacandona, Miss Sumatra

signed and dated "FRANCIS MARS 93" on the reverse of Miss Amazonia, Miss Costa Rica and Miss Ecuador
embroidery and oil on canvas, in artist's frames, in 5 parts
Miss Amazonia 17 x 14 3/4 in. (43.2 x 37.5 cm.)
Miss Costa Rica 16 3/4 x 12 7/8 in. (42.5 x 32.7 cm.)
Miss Ecuador 16 3/8 x 14 1/4 in. (41.6 x 36.2 cm.)
Miss Lacandona 14 7/8 x 13 1/8 in. (37.8 x 33.3 cm.)
Miss Sumatra 14 1/4 x 11 3/4 in. (36.2 x 29.8 cm.)
Executed in 1993.

Estimate
$50,000 - 70,000 

Sold for $87,500

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 15 May | On View at 450 Park Avenue