JOEL SHAPIRO | Untitled

Paula Cooper Gallery, New York
Private Collection
Sotheby's, New York, 9 May 1990, Lot 364
Private Collection, San Francisco

New York, Paula Cooper Gallery, Joel Shapiro: Drawings and Prints, March 1988

This work is in very good condition overall. The sheet is hinged intermittently verso to the mat. The vertical edges of the sheet are deckled and there are artist's pinholes along the perimeter. There is evidence of some wear and handling to the corners and edges of the sheet and some minor surface soiling. There is rubbing to the media which is consistent with the artist's working method and choice of medium. Under close inspection, there are a couple, very minor tears along along the left vertical edge of the sheet. Framed under Plexiglas.
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.

"There’s a limited amount of possibility of expression within a relatively reduced vocabulary that I’ve worked with. I’m not going to invent some new shape. I’ve not been terribly interested in the repositioning of found objects. I was more interested in the reconfiguration of and repositioning of relatively known, simple geometric forms. As long as the work was bound up by architecture or predicated on architecture, you know, it would only have limited possibility. I wanted to overcome that."

Joel Shapiro