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Catalogue Essay
Wayne Thiebaud, Encased Cakes, 2011, sold at auction in 2019 for 8,464,800 USD As if peering into one of the famed counter-top displays of Italian Pasticcerias (pastry shops) and Gelaterias (ice cream shops), Maria Farrar’s Brioche con Gelato entices the viewer’s senses, drawing them into a scrumptious array of decadent desserts. Evoking works of a similar topic by Wayne Thiebaud, the composition was perhaps inspired by Farrar’s residency at the prestigious British School at Rome, awarded through the Derek Hill Foundation Scholarship in 2016. Indeed, Farrar explores moments from everyday life in her work or aspects of her memories, suggesting that this is a portrayal of a scene plucked from her memories of Italy. The title of the work, Brioche con Gelato refers to a traditional Italian dessert from Sicily, in which a soft brioche bun is stuffed with gelato, two of which can be seen at the upper right hand of the painting.
The counter is covered with delicately placed desserts and pastries, their various pastel colours calling for the viewer to devour the work. Farrar presents a mouthwatering display of custardy yellow layered cakes topped with cherries, rich chocolate-covered squares, exquisite pistachio green rounds, a large iced cake and a selection of six cracked biscuits, perhaps Ricciarelli, an Italian almond biscuit. From the top left corner of the painting we see the baby-blue apron of the figure behind the counter, placing a cup of coffee onto the counter with a lightly sketched hand. In the foreground, Farrar sketches the white and black feathery tail of a dog, and the heeled leg of a woman, indicating to the viewer that they are not alone in surveying this sumptuous array of sweets.
Brioche con Gelato is a beautiful example of her signature style of applying bright pigments onto a raw linen canvas primarily between 2018 and 2019. Such a technique complements the subject of this work, allowing the desserts to command all attention. Furthermore, her sketched, confident outlines recall the techniques of Asian calligraphy, fusing techniques of the East with elements of the West, such as oil painting.
The present work was exhibited at Frieze London in 2018 with Mother’s Tankstation gallery, a significant exhibition for the artist. Farrar has also been honoured with several solo shows, including straits at Mother’s Tankstation, Dublin in May 2017, Eaves Deep at their London gallery in June 2018, and Too late to turn back now at OTA Fine Arts, Singapore from 5 October to 9 November 2019. Farrar is an artist on the rise, and in June 2021, Farrar’s Sailor (2016) greatly exceeded its presale estimates, selling for HK$882,000 at Phillips Hong Kong. Maria Farrar was born in the Philippines in 1988, raised in Shimonoseki, Japan, and now lives and works in London.
Maria Farrar, Sailor, 2016, Sold at Phillips Hong Kong for HK$ 882,000 on 7 June 2021 Provenance
Mother’s Tankstation, Dublin
Acquired from the above by the present owner
5
Brioche con Gelato
signed with the artist's initials and dated 'Mf 2018' on the reverse
oil on linen
180 x 130 cm. (70 7/8 x 51 1/8 in.)
Painted in 2018.
Estimate
HK$100,000 - 150,000
€10,900-16,400
$12,800-19,200
Sold for HK$327,600
Hin Hin Wong
Associate Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
+852 2318 2013
hinhinwong@phillips.com
24/7: Online Auction
Online Auction 21 - 30 July 2021
1
Yukimasa Ida
End of today - 12/12 2018 Self Portrait -
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$693,000
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2
Joan Cornellà
Untitled #1
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$1,008,000
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3
Matías Sánchez
Parodia
Estimate HK$70,000 - 90,000
Sold for HK$201,600
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4
Edgar Plans
Hero or Villain
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$1,071,000
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5
Maria Farrar
Brioche con Gelato
Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000
Sold for HK$327,600
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6
This lot is no longer available.
7
Okokume
Cosmic Girl Head
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$403,200
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8
Todd James
Chicken Fingers
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$138,600
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9
Mr.
Happy
Estimate HK$320,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$403,200
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10
Chen Yingjie
Gravity LXX
Estimate HK$75,000 - 110,000
Sold for HK$163,800
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11
Yue Minjun
Untitled (Smile-ism No. 1-28)
Estimate HK$400,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$567,000
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12
Liu Wei
Landscape No. 2
Estimate HK$600,000 - 800,000
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13
Javier Calleja
Prefacio
Estimate HK$300,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$604,800
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14
Javier Calleja
Indice
Estimate HK$300,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$441,000
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15
Javier Calleja
Hi
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
Sold for HK$693,000
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16
Jonas Wood
Dad's Study 2
Estimate HK$280,000 - 350,000
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17
KAWS
SEEING
Estimate HK$300,000 - 500,000
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18
Takashi Murakami & Virgil Abloh
Flower Belt
Estimate HK$350,000 - 450,000
Sold for HK$1,008,000
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19
Banksy
CND Soldiers
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$378,000
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20
Kenny Scharf
Krazy
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$693,000
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21
Invader
TK-64
Estimate HK$220,000 - 320,000
Sold for HK$819,000
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22
This lot is no longer available.
23
KAWS
PIRANHAS WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING
Estimate HK$180,000 - 280,000
Sold for HK$277,200
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24
MADSAKI
Homage to Takashi Murakami Flowers
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$630,000
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25
Mr Doodle
Schoolyard Scrap
Estimate HK$100,000 - 200,000
Sold for HK$302,400
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26
Chiharu Shiota
State of Being (Children's Shoes)
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$504,000
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27
Kohei Nawa
PixCell-Maria #16
Estimate HK$380,000 - 550,000
Sold for HK$504,000
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28
Damien Hirst
Mickey (Blue Glitter)
Estimate HK$250,000 - 450,000
Sold for HK$315,000
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29
KAWS
ANKLE BRACELET
Estimate HK$150,000 - 250,000
Sold for HK$277,200
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30
Ayako Rokkaku
Hayaumare March
Estimate HK$70,000 - 90,000
Sold for HK$163,800
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31
Xu Qu
Currency War - Morocco 20 (Old)
Estimate HK$70,000 - 90,000
Sold for HK$138,600
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32
Zhao Zhao
Sky No. 13
Estimate HK$80,000 - 120,000
Sold for HK$214,200
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33
Ayako Rokkaku
"Magic Hand" Exhibition Carpet
Estimate HK$70,000 - 90,000
Sold for HK$176,400
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34
Gerhard Richter
Cage (P19-2)
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$176,400
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35
Gerhard Richter
Cage (P19-5)
Estimate HK$80,000 - 100,000
Sold for HK$176,400
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36
Yoshitomo Nara
Mori Girl
Estimate HK$60,000 - 80,000
Sold for HK$378,000
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