Jim Shaw

Linda Cathcart Gallery, Santa Monica

London, Institute of Contemporary Art, True Stories, September - October 1992
Humlebaek, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art; Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg; London, Hayward Gallery; Turin, Castello di Rivoli, Museo d'Arte Contemporanea; Los Angeles, Armand Hammer Museum of Art, Sunshine & Noir: Art in L.A. 1960-1997, May 1997 - November 1998
Casino Luxembourg - Forum d'art contemporain, Jim Shaw: Everything Must Go 1974-1999, April 1999 – January 2000

This work is in very good condition. There are a few scattered nicks, scratches and small losses to the frame. There are lines of slight splitting, visible in the catalogue illustration, which is due to the installation and exhibition process. There are typed installation instructions adhered to the reverse.
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.

Jim Shaw's mature work came into focus in a series of remarkable paintings, reliefs, photographs, and drawings collectively titled "My Mirage" (1987-91). The project loosely tracked the story of a late '60s adolescent named Billy, whose Middle American values are uprooted by rock music, politics, cult religion and psychedelia. In these works, Shaw mimicked the styles of a startling array of artists, ranging from William Blake to Robert Rauschenberg, from Tom of Finland to Dr. Seuss.
The project was organized into five chapters, the first of which chronicles Billy's childhood phobias, obsessions and sexual anxieties. Later chapters of "My Mirage" tracked Billy's inevitable initiation into sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.
The present lot, "The Trinity" (1990), depicts the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost of Catholic theology in the style of characters from Marvel Comics. Emblematic of the theatrical nature of Billy's sensibility, the work is covered in stage blood which over time continually drips from the painting onto its supporting wall and floor. The following lot, "Heretical Cross" (1990) depicts a reversed Ankh, the Egyptian cross and symbol of life, tapping into Billy's adolescent espousal of dark paranoia and conspiracy theories. The work's background includes a grid of symbols from various secretive cultish American groups such as the Kiwanis, Elks, and Masons.