Urs Fischer - New Now New York Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Urs Fischer's The Trouble with Being Born took center stage at his solo exhibition in Gagosian, Beverly Hills, in 2015, offering a glimpse into the enigmatic nature of his creations. His artistic approach defies academic classification, moving constantly between genres, motifs and materials and encompassing a variety of mediums including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and installations. Drawing inspiration from Dada, Pop Art, and conceptualism, Fischer’s imagination continues to surprise us with the creation of this active fountain merging the familiar with the uncanny.

     

    “People seem to fear art. Art has always been a word for this thing that can’t be rationalized; when you see or hear something that you struggle to explain. But that’s its strength, of course, that’s what the word ‘art’ is for.”
    —Urs Fischer

     

    Crafted from brass, The Trouble with Being Born emerged from hand-built clay models. The water basin boasts a pristine white powder coating along the rims, while the base retains a raw, roseate metal finish. Engaging with this piece generates a curious mix of emotions, as viewers attempt to decode the intriguing mishmash of materials adorning the water basin—evoking images of mud, foliage, and even footprints. This original water basin highlights Fischer's capacity to bridge the mundane with the extraordinary, crafting sculptures that blur the boundaries between everyday life and imaginary worlds. A defining aspect of this indoor fountain is its ten-foot-high water jet which creates a humid and vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of a village square. Impressively, this fountain's design has been conceived to avoid water wastage. Equipped with an internal water recycling system and installed indoors to limit water evaporation, this fountain consumes a minimal quantity of water.

     

    The Trouble with Being Born is part of the artist’s recent reinterpretation of classical art themes including still life, portraits, nudes, landscapes, and interiors. Fischer’s artistic approach transcends eras, blending classical influences with contemporary sensibilities. The Trouble with Being Born demonstrates Fischer’s capacity to evoke contemplation, curiosity, and emotion while encouraging observers to explore boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary, the known and the mysterious.

    • Description

      Please note that this Lot is located in Los Angeles and on view in our Los Angeles gallery. If you wish to inspect the work in person prior to bidding, please contact Cynthia Burgess (cburgess@phillips.com) to arrange a viewing.

      Additionally, please note that this piece is sold “as is”, and is sold as a piece of art. Provided it is assembled in a proper way, we believe it will function as a fountain. However, any interested bidders are advised to consult with a contractor and/or plumber to ensure that the intended location allows the buyer to retrofit the piece into the intended space.

    • Provenance

      Gagosian Gallery, New York
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

    • Exhibited

      Los Angeles, Gagosian Gallery, Fountains, September 15–October 17, 2015

    • Literature

      Urs Fischer, Phantom Paintings, New York, 2017, pp. 24–25, 34–35, 168 (Gagosian Gallery, Los Angeles, 2015 installation view illustrated, pp. 25, 35)
      Urs Fischer, Urs Fischer: Sculptures 2013–2018, New York, 2019, pp. 163–166, 442 (Gagosian Gallery, Los Angeles, 2015 installation view illustrated, pp. 163, 165; detail illustrated, p. 166)
      Brook Mason, "Water works: Urs Fischer's fountains on show at LA's Gagosian Gallery," Wallpaper, August 24, 2022, online (Gagosian Gallery, Los Angeles, 2015, installation view illustrated)

Property from an Important Collection

39

The Trouble with Being Born

cast brass, stainless steel tubing, powder coating, electric pump, brass spray nozzle and rubber gasket
29 1/2 x 87 1/2 x 84 in. (74.9 x 222.3 x 213.4 cm)
Executed in 2015, this work is number 1 from an edition of 2 plus 1 artist's proof and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Gagosian Gallery.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
$250,000 - 350,000 

Contact Specialist

Avery Semjen
Associate Specialist, Head of New Now Sale 
T +1 212 940 1207
asemjen@phillips.com

New Now

New York Auction 27 September 2023