Lot 7
  • 7

Franz West

Estimate
400,000 - 600,000 USD
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Description

  • Franz West
  • Sisyphos IX
  • papier-mâché, styrofoam, cardboard, lacquer and acrylic
  • 67 by 60 by 42 in. 170.2 by 152.4 by 106.7 cm.
  • Executed in 2002.

Provenance

James Kelly Contemporary, Santa Fe
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2004

Exhibited

New York, Gagosian Gallery, Franz West, Sisyphos: Litter & Waste, February - March 2003, p. 20, illustrated in color
Bregenz, Kunsthaus Bregenz, Franz West: We'll Not Carry Coals, July - September 2003, illustrated in color
Santa Fe, James Kelly Contemporary Art, Franz West: Hurdy Gurdy, July - September 2004
Baltimore, The Baltimore Museum of Art; and Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Franz West, To Build a House You Start With The Roof: Work, 1972-2008, October 2008 - June 2009, p. 91, illustrated in color and p. 276, no. 29, illustrated in color
Dallas, Nasher Sculpture Center, Paper Into Sculpture, October 2017 - February 2018, n.p., illustrated in color and illustrated in color (detail)

Literature

Christine Mehring, "Tools of Engagement," Artforum, October 2008 
"Waking Up To Zombies: An Interview with Franz West," LMCA Members Magazine, March - April 2009, illustrated in color on the cover 
Christopher Knight, "Review: Franz West at LACMA," Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2009, illustrated in color
Elaine King, "Sculpture: A Conversation with Franz West," Sculpture 28, June 2009, p. 47 (text) 

Condition

This work is in excellent condition. As per the nature of the papier-mâché medium, there are minor areas of lifting paper which correspond to the execution of the work. All are stable. Overall, there are scattered small areas in which the paint appears to exhibit minor drying cracks, corresponding to the uneven surface of the papier-mâché medium. This is predominantly noted in the areas of light pink and light blue pigment.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

"West's Sisyphos series of unusually large papier-mâche sculptures are named for the mythical king of Ephyra whose hubris regarding his own cleverness led Zeus to punish him by requiring him to roll a heavy boulder up a steep hill, only to have it roll down again just before reaching the top...Sisyphos IX appears intimidatingly massive and almost comically precarious, its unwieldy form balanced on one narrowed edge, caught in a moment of stasis through disproportionately tiny cylinders wedged beneath it." (Exh. Cat., Dallas, Nasher Sculpture Center, Paper Into Sculpture, 2017, n.p.)