Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist in 1972
Exhibited
Kassel, Germany, Musee Fridericianum, Documenta 5: 100 Days of Inquiry into Reality -- Today's Imagery, 30 June - 8 October, 1972
Catalogue Essay
Mario Merz's conceptual oeuvre, sourced from autobiographical subjects and executed with an expansive variety of materials,revolved around three motifs, the igloo, the Fibonacci sequence and neon light, two of which feature in the present lot. Untitled, an early and striking installation comprised of eleven gelatin silver prints and ten Fibonacci sequence numbers sculpted from coloured neonlight, powerfully portrays the artist's desire to link nature, art and the human condition. Interested in the visual representation of the concept of growth, Merz appropriated the famed Fibonacci sequence for the purpose of his art.The sequence, in which each numeral is equal to the sum of the two that precede it, was elaborated by the 13th century Pisan mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci da Pisa when he studied the hypothetical reproductive rate of rabbits. Its common occurrence in nature fascinated Merz who believed that the organically progressing numbers in the series had an innate relationship to human sociology. Untitled is part of a performance based body of work executed in 1972 in three different restaurants and entitled A real sum is a sum of people (Una sommareale e una somma di gente). For the performance depicted in the present lot which took place at the Ristorante della Spada in Turin, Merz began by photographing an empty section of the dining area of the restaurant.Then, set within the exact same field of view as his first photograph and in accordance with the laws of progression dictated by the Fibonacci sequence, Merz photographed 1,2, 3, 5, 8,13, 21, 34 and finally 55 people gathering to dine in the restaurant.The neon numerals above each documentary photograph enumerate the proliferation of patrons united in the universal and essential purpose of eating.The present lot, of which another from the edition is retained in the permanent collection of NewYork's Museum of Modern Art, was first exhibited at the infamous Documenta 5 in Kassel in 1972 and has remained in the same private German collection ever since. Both hailed and derided by artists and critics, Documenta 5 was the largest, most expensive and most diverse of any exhibition anywhere, and foreshadowed all large-scale, collaboratively curated, comprehensive mega-shows to come. Largely based around conceptually and minimally charged artworks, Documenta 5 valiantly attempted to bridge the gap between art, culture, science and the broader society- an effort beautifully realized in the present work.

7

Mario Merz

Senza titolo (Una somma reale è una somma di gente)

1972
Eleven gelatin silver prints in the artist's original frames, neon and electrical components.
Each print: 24.7 x 31.5 cm. (9 3/4 x 12 1/2 in).; overall approximate dimensions: 46 x 430 cm. (18 x 169 in).Signed, Titled, dated and consecutively numbered and inscribed 'Mario Merz April 72, 1-55 persone al ristorante della spada Torino' on the reverse or each print. This work is from an edition of five.

Estimate
£180,000 - 250,000

Sold for £217,250

Contemporary Evening Sale

29 June 2009, 7pm
London

1
Gert and Uwe Tobias
Untitled
Estimate £20,000 - 30,000 ♠
Sold for £32,450
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2
Sergej Jensen
Odd Couple
Estimate £20,000 - 30,000 ‡♠
Sold for £26,250
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3
Barry McGee
Untitled
Estimate £15,000 - 20,000
Sold for £22,500
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4
Mark Grotjahn
Untitled (large colored butterfly white background 10 wings)
Estimate £70,000 - 100,000 ≠†
Sold for £145,250
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5
Wim Delvoye
Clio
Estimate £25,000 - 35,000 ♠
Sold for £85,250
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6
James Turrell
Acro, Blue
Estimate £100,000 - 150,000
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7
Mario Merz
Senza titolo (Una somma reale è una somma di gente)
Estimate £180,000 - 250,000
Sold for £217,250
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8
Florian Maier-Aichen
Untitled
Estimate £30,000 - 40,000 ≠♠†
Sold for £51,650
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9
Roni Horn
Seen in the distance
Estimate £35,000 - 45,000
Sold for £82,850
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10
Andy Warhol
Five Guns
Estimate £150,000 - 200,000
Sold for £211,250
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11
Ed Ruscha
That Was Then This Is Now
Estimate £600,000 - 800,000
Sold for £713,250
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12
Richard Prince
Spiritual America IV
Estimate £400,000 - 600,000 ‡
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13
Jack Goldstein
Untitled
Estimate £20,000 - 30,000
Sold for £121,250
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14
Thomas Schütte
Stahlfrau Nr. 7 (Steel Woman no. 7)
Estimate £300,000 - 500,000 ♠
Sold for £457,250
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15
John Chamberlain
Mr. Moto
Estimate £400,000 - 600,000 ‡
Sold for £529,250
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16
Robert Rauschenberg
Wolf Wood (Urban Bourbon series)
Estimate £250,000 - 350,000 ‡
Sold for £289,250
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17
Anselm Reyle
Untitled
Estimate £80,000 - 120,000 ♠
Sold for £85,250
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18
Jeff Koons
Mermaid Troll
Estimate £250,000 - 350,000 ‡
Sold for £241,250
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19
Zhang Xiaogang
Untitled
Estimate £300,000 - 400,000 ≠†
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20
Ed Ruscha
Doric
Estimate £250,000 - 350,000
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21
Gerhard Richter
Schatten 6
Estimate £120,000 - 180,000 ‡♠
Sold for £133,250
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22
Wilhelm Sasnal
Cemetery
Estimate £50,000 - 70,000 ‡♠
Sold for £37,250
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23
Kehinde Wiley
Passing/Posing - St. Helena
Estimate £25,000 - 35,000 ‡
Sold for £51,650
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24
Robert Indiana
Art
Estimate £200,000 - 300,000 Ω
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25
Yan Pei-Ming
Timonier 009
Estimate £150,000 - 200,000 ♠
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26
Yoshitomo Nara
Your Dog
Estimate £120,000 - 180,000
Sold for £121,250
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27
Yue Minjun
Untitled
Estimate £250,000 - 300,000 ≠†
Sold for £421,250
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28
Alighiero Boetti
Tutto
Estimate £200,000 - 300,000 ‡
Sold for £181,250
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29
Kenneth Noland
Shift
Estimate £100,000 - 150,000
Sold for £121,250
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30
Tal R
Fungusia
Estimate £60,000 - 80,000 ≠♠†
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31
Anselm Reyle
Untitled
Estimate £70,000 - 90,000 ≠♠†
Sold for £85,250
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32
Feng Zhengjie
Chinese Portrait P Series 2006 No. 2
Estimate £50,000 - 70,000 ≠†
Sold for £98,450
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33
Inka Essenhigh
Pegasus
Estimate £60,000 - 80,000 ≠†
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34
Michael Raedecker
ins and outs
Estimate £40,000 - 60,000 ≠♠†
Sold for £111,650
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35
Wang Guangyi
Art Go
Estimate £80,000 - 120,000 ≠†
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36
Damien Hirst
Beautiful Lazarides Inc. Auction Spinny Thingy Where Will It All End, Money For Old Rope, Buy This You Bugger, Its Got Kline Blue Bloody Splashes In It For Fuck's Sake, Love You Really Painting (with xxxxx)
Estimate £100,000 - 150,000 ‡♠
Sold for £193,250
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37
Jonathan Meese
Die Verschworung des Dr. Pottsau
Estimate £60,000 - 80,000 ‡♠
Sold for £97,250
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38
Jitish Kallat
Collidonthus
Estimate £100,000 - 150,000
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39
Wim Delvoye
Cabinet (Installation of 14 Delft sawblades and 2 Delft gas canisters)
Estimate £55,000 - 65,000 ♠
Sold for £85,250
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40
Ashley Bickerton
Herr Schoendorff
Estimate £15,000 - 20,000
Sold for £51,650
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Contemporary Evening Sale

29 June 2009, 7pm London

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Provenance

Exhibited

Catalogue Essay

7

Mario Merz

Senza titolo (Una somma reale è una somma di gente)

Contemporary Evening Sale

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29 June 2009, 7pm
London