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“Creating reaches us and reveals to us who we are. This is why I paint.”
— Scott Kahn
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1946, American painter Scott Kahn is celebrated for his strikingly atmospheric landscapes rendered through the prism of memory, experience, and emotion. A master of his craft, he approaches his subject matter with a remarkable dedication to detail, accentuating each cloud in the sky and ripple on the water so meticulously, individual brushstrokes build up into luxurious textures that add a sensuous lucidity to his otherworldly realms. As the first work by the artist to be offered at auction in Asia, shortly following the announcement of his new representation by the esteemed Almine Rech gallery earlier this year, Cadman Plaza is a prime example of the artist’s unique, expressive language.Like Hazy Snapshots from a Dream
Painted in 2002, Cadman Plaza transports viewers to Brooklyn, New York, into a tall high-rise building overlooking Cadman Plaza Park. Meandering around the left side of the lush-green, wooded grounds is the exit ramp of the Brooklyn Bridge, whereas peering to the right brings us out to New York Harbour, where the Statue of Liberty proudly stands beneath a horizon line of fluffy white clouds bathed in sunshine. Diluting the moody, dark sky that hangs low over the city, the warm light radiates through the windows of our room, casting afternoon shadows on the checkered linoleum tile floors.
The wispy waves and billowing clouds conjure a sense of eternal movement, further enhanced by the dense, rustling leaves. And yet, the roads are bare and the harbour is empty, leaving us to wonder if we are alone in this dreamlike setting, gazing out over a city entirely our own.
Vincent van Gogh, The Olive Trees, 1889
Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New YorkCiting influences as varied as Andrew Wyeth, Henri Matisse, Lucien Freud, Pierre Bonnard and John Singer Sargent – whilst Kahn’s paintings can be viewed as an amalgamation of art historical references, he extends the genre of landscape painting through a lens entirely his own. There is a poetic sensibility imbued in his images, however, that specifically recalls Vincent van Gogh’s scenic reveries, which too, are executed with distinctly singular brushstrokes. When speaking of this inspiration, Kahn notes: ‘Every of his painting makes me feel like my soul has been stabbed. It’s so moving and so compelling. When you see one of his paintings, it’s like there is no distance between your soul and the artist’s soul. It’s that straightforward and that direct.’ i
The curving road in Cadman Plaza further brings to mind the work of contemporary British artist David Hockney, whom too, depicts vast, empty landscapes separated by winding tarmac. But whereas Hockney introduces a touch of the surreal through his vivid colour palette, indulging in highly saturated and acidic tones, the surrealistic tinge that permeates throughout Kahn’s oeuvre comes from working from memory, as reality and fantasy warp like ‘hazy snapshots extracted from a dream’. ii
David Hockney, Nichols Canyon, 1980
Sold by Phillips New York on 7 December 2020 for US$ 41,067,500
© David HockneyKahn seamlessly blends exterior and interior worlds through the inclusion of a window in the present work. A symbolic motif famously used throughout art history by artists such as Renée Magritte to explore notions of seeing, the transparent panes of glass frame the viewer’s vantage point and offer a metaphorical border between the intimate and public, tangible and fantastical, and conscious and unconscious.
A more contemporary connection can be made to Chinese artist Liu Ye, who also employs the motif in his paintings to bridge the realistic world with spiritual or imagined realms. Beyond the aesthetics of architectural framing, both Kahn and Liu Ye use windows to represent the passing of time through the rhombus-shaped reflections of light cast into their interior scenes. Unlike Liu Ye’s inclusion of protagonists, however, Kahn’s depictions of familiar yet ambiguous vistas invite introspective contemplation as—like peering through a portal—it is from the viewer’s focal point that we take in the view.
Left: Renée Magritte, The Human Condition, 1933
Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
© 2021 C. Herscovici, Brussels / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Right: Liu Ye, The Second Story, 1995
Sold at Phillips Hong Kong in Association with Poly Auction on 7 June 2021 for HK$13,076,000
© Liu YeScott Kahn in Conversation
In June 2021, Scott Kahn spoke with RDN Arts about how his magical, painterly universes search for the connections at the base of art and life, always inextricably linked to each other.
RDN Arts: The allegorical and symbolic charge in your works is notable. Can you explain this choice and what is, according to you, the intersection of visual art and poetry?
Scott Kahn: I had a particular interest in dreams, yin-yang symbol symbolism – and I guess I’m still painting in this kind of symbolic dreamlike way. You know, to me, it’s an elevated way to present my experience, and most importantly, it’s just my nature, and I can’t fight my nature. You might say it’s a subtext. It’s the way it’s reported to the viewer that suggests something beyond what is actually being seen. If I’m really successful, the painting achieves some poetic transcendence.
RDN: You said to consider your work to be a visual diary of your life. How do you choose which images to represent? What is the process that leads you to a choice in the representations you carry into your art?
SK: I wait for inspiration to pick up the brush and put it on canvas. It’s a little magical and mysterious. I often have to wait for that inspiration, that moment. The impulse that gets me to the canvas generally comes from something very recent in my life. Something I’ve seen, maybe even frequently. It could be a feeling. I don’t consider myself a conceptual artist, but I certainly want to express some symbolic and philosophical meaning through my work.
Read the rest of the interview here.
Collector’s Digest
Kahn obtained a Master of Fine Arts from Rutgers University in 1970, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. His distinctive oeuvre has received significant international recognition and critical acclaim throughout his career, including being the recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation award in 1986 and 1995, and a fellowship at the Edward F. Albee Foundation.
Kahn's most recent solo exhibitons include Afternoon of a Faun at Harper’s Books in New York (18 February – 26 March 2021), Diary at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery in New York (19 May – 23 June 2019), and Scott Kahn: Diary, Continued at Harper’s Books in New York (15 June – 11 July 2019).
In July 2021, the Almine Rech announced their exclusive representation of Kahn, following on from their presentation of his works in One by One: Scott Kahn, which ran from 25 June – 11 July 2021.
i Scott Kahn, quoted in ‘Interviews we love: Scott Kahn’, RDN Arts, 2 June 2021, online
ii Harper’s Books, ‘Scott Kahn: Diary, Continued’ Press Release, New York, 15 June – 11 July 2019, online
Provenance
Harper's, USA
Private Collection
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by the present ownerArtist Biography
Scott Kahn
Scott Kahn (b. 1946) is an American painter. He received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA from Rutgers University. He is now best known for the explosion of his own market on the international stage late in his career and over the last five years. His subject matter reflects the people and places of America, primarily influenced by the bucolic landscapes and daily life of the northeast, USA.
Kahn has been a recipient of awards from the Pollock Krasner Foundation and a residency at the Edward Albee Foundation in Montauk. His work is included in major corporations and two museums in China, including the Long Museum, and the ICA Miami in Florida. His work is in the collection of the University of Pennsylvania, his alma mater.
13
Cadman Plaza
signed and dated 'Scott Kahn '02' lower right; further signed, titled, inscribed and dated '"CADMAN PLAZA" KAHN 2002 © 2002 by Scott Kahn all rights reserved' on the overlap
oil on linen
157.5 x 193 cm. (62 x 75 7/8 in.)
Painted in 2002.
Estimate
HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
€114,000-171,000
$128,000-192,000
Sold for HK$7,510,000
Charlotte Raybaud
Head of Evening Sale, 20th Century & Contemporary Art
+852 2318 2026
CharlotteRaybaud@phillips.com
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Association with Poly Auction
Hong Kong Auction 30 November 2021
1
Cinga Samson
Ivory V
Estimate HK$250,000 - 350,000
Sold for HK$2,520,000
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2
Salman Toor
East Village Iqbal Bano
Estimate HK$1,800,000 - 2,800,000
Sold for HK$4,536,000
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3
Nina Chanel Abney
Untitled (IXI Black)
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for HK$3,024,000
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4
Jamian Juliano-Villani
Clear Cough from Your Schedule
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$781,200
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5
Mr.
Yume—Breath of the Earth
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$4,032,000
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6
Julie Curtiss
Escargot
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,449,000
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7
Javier Calleja
30 works: Untitled
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$12,108,000
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8
Javier Calleja
You Me
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 4,000,000
Sold for HK$7,026,000
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9
Aya Takano
In the Lab (the Birth of Jelly)
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$441,000
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10
Hernan Bas
Minimalism (cracking the code)
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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11
Joel Mesler
Untitled (Night Out)
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$1,512,000
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12
Shara Hughes
Magic Island
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for HK$4,788,000
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13
Scott Kahn
Cadman Plaza
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$7,510,000
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14
Matthew Wong
Nature’s Church
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$9,204,000
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15
Matthew Wong
Far Away Eyes
Estimate HK$8,000,000 - 12,000,000
Sold for HK$21,183,000
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16
Gerhard Richter
Kerzenschein (Candle-light)
Estimate HK$55,000,000 - 75,000,000
Sold for HK$101,970,000
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17
This lot is no longer available.
18
Yayoi Kusama
INFINITY-NETS (OPRT)
Estimate HK$15,000,000 - 25,000,000
Sold for HK$22,635,000
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19
Yayoi Kusama
Repetition
Estimate HK$15,000,000 - 20,000,000
Sold for HK$19,005,000
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20
Nicolas Party
Still Life
Estimate HK$6,200,000 - 9,400,000
Sold for HK$17,190,000
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21
David Hockney
Bridlington Violets
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$12,350,000
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22
Léonard-Tsuguharu Foujita
Self-Portrait with a Cat
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$5,292,000
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23
This lot is no longer available.
24
Sanyu
Paysage Aux Hirondelles
Estimate HK$26,000,000 - 46,000,000
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25
Zao Wou-Ki
Sans titre ("Notre Dame")
Estimate HK$7,500,000 - 10,000,000
Sold for HK$10,051,000
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26
Zao Wou-Ki
Brume d’automne
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 7,500,000
Sold for HK$4,788,000
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27
Auguste Rodin
Le Baiser, 1ère réduction dite aussi "réduction n°1"
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$11,745,000
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28
Zao Wou-Ki
20.3.64.
Estimate HK$20,000,000 - 30,000,000
Sold for HK$22,030,000
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29
This lot is no longer available.
30
Alexander Calder
Two Red Petals in the Air
Estimate HK$16,000,000 - 20,000,000
Sold for HK$20,820,000
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31
Claude Monet
Pavots dans un vase de Chine
Estimate HK$9,500,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$13,560,000
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32
Georges Mathieu
Saxifrage
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$2,520,000
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33
This lot is no longer available.
34
Huang Yuxing
Floating Bubbles
Estimate HK$1,800,000 - 2,800,000
Sold for HK$2,772,000
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35
Zhou Chunya
Smell the Flowers
Estimate HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000
Sold for HK$6,905,000
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36
This lot is no longer available.
37
Liu Ye
Flagship No. 2
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$5,922,000
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38
Wang Xingwei
Untitled (Heart-Shaped Dance)
Estimate HK$2,800,000 - 4,800,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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39
Liu Ye
Untitled
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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40
Liu Wei
You Like Smoking?
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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41
Izumi Kato
Untitled
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 7,500,000
Sold for HK$11,745,000
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42
Yoshitomo Nara
Pandora's Box
Estimate HK$7,500,000 - 10,000,000
Sold for HK$13,560,000
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43
George Condo
The Dreamer
Estimate HK$4,600,000 - 6,200,000
Sold for HK$11,140,000
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44
George Condo
Entangled Figures
Estimate HK$6,200,000 - 9,200,000
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45
This lot is no longer available.
46
KAWS
NEW YORK
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$5,040,000
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47
KAWS
FINAL DAYS
Estimate HK$6,200,000 - 8,200,000
Sold for HK$8,115,000
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48
Raymond Pettibon
Untitled (Force makes nature...)
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for HK$3,906,000
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49
Robert Nava
Angel Shark
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 1,800,000
Sold for HK$4,410,000
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50
Susumu Kamijo
Marching To The Sun
Estimate HK$450,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$2,142,000
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51
Jadé Fadojutimi
Fishing For Steps
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$4,788,000
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52
Mickalene Thomas
Looking Up from the She Works Hard For the Money Pin-Up series
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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53
Billie Zangewa
Cirque d'hiver
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$567,000
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54
Godwin Champs Namuyimba
The Connector
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$1,323,000
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55
Tunji Adeniyi-Jones
Blue Ancestor
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,071,000
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56
Tomoo Gokita
Final Confrontation
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$2,520,000
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57
Ewa Juszkiewicz
Appropriation
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,890,000
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58
Lucas Arruda
Untitled from the series Deserto-Modelo
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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