Mira Dancy - 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Day Sale Hong Kong Thursday, July 9, 2020 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Night Gallery, Los Angeles
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Catalogue Essay


    Sandro Botticelli
    The Birth of Venus, c.1484–1486
    Collection of the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
    In its debut to an international auction platform, Broker is a compelling example from New York-based visual artist Mira Dancy's internationally celebrated oeuvre. Finding influence in stories inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics, classic representations in Greek mythology, and the depictions of advertising industry models, Dancy's liberated subjects broaden the notion of figurative painting, praised by esteemed art critic Roberta Smith for how they ‘don’t have time for the male gaze’ (Roberta Smith, Review: Mira Dancy’s ‘Yes’’, The New York Times, 25 June 2015, online). Alluding to the Golden Age era, as well as a return to nature and other joys of life, Dancy’s voluptuous female figure strides forward in the present painting, rendered in brushstrokes of varying densities that give an almost three-dimensional quality to the work. Drawing parallels to Sandro Botticelli’s acclaimed painting, The Birth of Venus (c. 1484–1486), Dancy’s unflinching protagonist in Broker is depicted in a standing position, surrounded by abstract marks resembling nature. Whereas Botticelli’s version, the first large-scale painting to tackle the subject of the female nude amidst a classical theme, retains a sense of modesty in its representation of ‘divine love’, Dancy tackles the subject of the female nude directly, imbuing her figure with strength and liberation as she puts her into a relevant contemporary setting.

    Confirming the historical significance of her practice, Mira Dancy has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions in prominent locations. In recent years, this has included at the Agustina Ferreyra, Mexico City (2020); JOAN, Los Angeles (2019); Eric Hussenot, Paris (2019); and the Yuz Museum, Shanghai (2016-2017). Furthermore, her works form part of the permanent collections of notable museums, including the Whitney Museum of Art in New York, amongst others.

122

Broker

2016
ink and acrylic on paper
35 x 27.8 cm. (13 3/4 x 10 7/8 in.)
Executed in 2016.

Estimate
HK$25,000 - 35,000 
€2,700-3,800
$3,200-4,500

Sold for HK$50,000

Contact Specialist
Danielle So
Associate Specialist, Head of Day Sale

20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Day Sale

Hong Kong Auction 9 July 2020