Jonathan Monk - Photographs from the Martin Z. Margulies Foundation Part II New York Wednesday, October 9, 2024 | Phillips
  • In the early 2000s, Jonathan Monk envisioned creating a series of pieces he, as the artist, had never laid eyes on. An early version of this piece was made up of 80 black and white photographic prints found by Monk’s assistant at a flea market in Berlin. The artist states “I have never seen them and never will.” The present lot consists of similarly found images, unseen by the artist, that depict everyday scenes ranging from snorkeling with turtles to remote campsites to family portraits. This collection of anonymous sitters lensed by unknown photographers serves as a window into discarded memories— about which we can only speculate. 

     

    Since the late 1980s, Monk has been replaying, recasting, and re-examining seminal works of Conceptual and Minimal art. "Appropriation is something I have used or worked with in my art since starting art school in 1987. At this time (and still now) I realized that being original was almost impossible, so I tried using what was already available as source material for my own work." The sentiment that Monk expresses here is evident through the use of found images for his Unseen Unseen series. His deliberate choice to never view the artwork reinforces his exploration of these themes, underscoring his ongoing critique of artistic conventions.

    • Condition Report

    • Description

      View our Conditions of Sale.

    • Provenance

      Galleri Nicolai Wallner, Copenhagen

55

The unseen unseen, Version 1

2004
Unique assemblage of eighty-four chromogenic prints.
Each approximately 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm) or the reverse
Each overall 11 x 13 3/8 in. (27.9 x 34 cm) or the reverse

Signed in ink, printed title, date, sequence number, and caption on a gallery label affixed to the reverse of each frame. The caption on each label reads: 'This photograph is unique. It has never been seen by the artist Jonathan Monk.'

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
$30,000 - 50,000 

Place Advance Bid
Contact Specialist

Caroline Deck
Senior Specialist, Photographs
cdeck@phillips.com

 

Vanessa Hallett
Worldwide Head of Photographs and Chairwoman, Americas
vhallett@phillips.com
 

Photographs from the Martin Z. Margulies Foundation Part II

New York Auction 9 October 2024