Provenance
Cabinet Gallery, London; Private Collection
Exhibited
Turku, Finland, Titanik-galleria, Proper: Blind Date 1, 1998
Literature

L. Buck, “UK artist Q&A Martin Creed,” The Art Newspaper, No. 86, November 1998; L. G. Mark, “fresh heir,” C: International Contemporary Art, September - November 1999, p. 10; P. Polit and K. Stout, Martin Creed the whole world + the work = the whole world, Warsaw, 2004, p. 39 (illustrated)
Catalogue Essay
Note from the artist: As usual the space should be full of air, but half of it should be inside balloons. Extra balloons may be added over time to maintain the volume of the work, or else the balloons may be left to deflate naturally. This work was first realized at Titanik, Turku, Finland, in October 1998.

“It’s important to me to make a big nothing. I suppose that my interest in air is that it’s everywhere and you can’t see it. We don’t have a choice about air – we need it, that’s why I like it as a material – it’s something I’ve been trying to use for ages and it was staring me in the face that really the best and simplest way of doing this is just to use balloons. They’re commonplace and they’re just a way of packaging air…[The colors] are all sort of non-choices again. The first one was white because I couldn’t decide on a color – and white is a non-color that allows the people who are in the balloons to be the color. The second one was multicolored because I couldn’t decide on a color, and so I had all of them; and when it comes to choosing a color, black is similar to white in that it is not a color – or at least not overtly.”

(L. Buck, “UK artist Q&A Martin Creed,” The Art Newspaper, No. 86, November 1998)

Conceptual artist Martin Creed is best known for his minimalist works made from everyday household items and hardware supplies. Creed explores the way humans interact with these items in a gallery context, and is inspired by the idea of the intersection between art and life. Additionally, because his pieces are made from ordinary materials that he does not substantially manipulate, Creed imbues his work with a sense of simplicity and humility, and seems to defy the increasing commodification of art.

As expressed in its title, the present lot consists entirely of large balloons containing half the total amount of air in the room they occupy. The work constantly morphs to fit its surroundings, as the size and shape of the group of balloons vary depending on the dimensions of the space. Thus “Half the air in a given space” is perhaps better understood experientially than visually—it never looks quite the same in any two galleries, but the way in which viewers relate to it remains consistent. By enabling viewers to move freely among the swarm of balloons, Creed creates a purely physical, playful environment in which people are invited to consider their relationship to the air in the room and how they navigate through it.

125

Martin Creed

Work No. 202: Half the air in a given space

1998
Black 12 in. (30.5 cm) qualatex balloons.
Dimensions variable: Choose a space. Calculate the volume of the space. Using air, blow up black 30.5 cm balloons until they occupy half the volume of the space.

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and is signed and dated “Martin Creed 1998.” in the lower left of the framed certificate.

Estimate
$80,000 - 120,000

Sold for $98,500

Contemporary Art Part I

8 November 2010
New York

101
Glenn Ligon
Gold just us #7
Estimate $70,000 - 90,000
Sold for $98,500
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102
Charles Ray
Wet Paint
Estimate $400,000 - 600,000
Sold for $422,500
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103
Robert Gober
Untitled Candle
Estimate $400,000 - 600,000
Sold for $458,500
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104
Dan Colen
Untitled (Vete al diablo)
Estimate $150,000 - 250,000
Sold for $290,500
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105
Christopher Wool
ONE YEAR NO HALLOWEEN (P464)
Estimate $400,000 - 600,000
Sold for $602,500
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106
Cy Twombly
Untitled
Estimate $500,000 - 700,000
Sold for $698,500
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107
Andy Warhol
Mona Lisa
Estimate $1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for $1,986,500
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108
Jeff Koons
Caterpillar Ladder
Estimate $5,500,000 - 7,500,000
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109
George Condo
Particle Pick Up
Estimate $500,000 - 700,000
Sold for $542,500
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110
Keith Haring
Andy Mouse
Estimate $600,000 - 800,000
Sold for $722,500
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111
Richard Prince
Crazy Three
Estimate $250,000 - 350,000
Sold for $458,500
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112
Maurizio Cattelan
Frank and Jamie
Estimate $1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for $1,594,500
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113
Richard Prince
Untitled (Cowboy)
Estimate $1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for $902,500
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114
Takashi Murakami
Eye Love SUPERFLAT
Estimate $600,000 - 800,000
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115
Ed Ruscha
Sex at Noon Taxes
Estimate $3,000,000 - 4,000,000
Sold for $4,338,500
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116
Roy Lichtenstein
Two figures, Indian
Estimate $3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for $3,890,500
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117
Mark Rothko
No. 9
Estimate $800,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for $842,500
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118
Ed Ruscha
Production
Estimate $600,000 - 800,000
Sold for $662,500
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119
Cecily Brown
Eclogue
Estimate $250,000 - 350,000
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120
Eric Fischl
April in the Shower
Estimate $300,000 - 500,000
Sold for $338,500
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121
Jean-Michel Basquiat
MP
Estimate $2,000,000 - 3,000,000
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122
Jenny Holzer
Selections from Erlauf II
Estimate $300,000 - 400,000
Sold for $386,500
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123
Bill Viola
Union
Estimate $250,000 - 350,000
Sold for $242,500
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124
Wade Guyton
Untitled
Estimate $70,000 - 90,000
Sold for $302,500
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125
Martin Creed
Work No. 202: Half the air in a given space
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Sold for $98,500
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126
Raymond Pettibon
No Title (a reaction to) Surfer
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Sold for $92,500
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Contemporary Art Part I

8 November 2010 New York

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Provenance

Exhibited

Literature

Catalogue Essay

125

Martin Creed

Work No. 202: Half the air in a given space

Contemporary Art Part I

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8 November 2010
New York