Arman

G. J. Visser, Antwerp
Galerie Alfred Schmela, Düsseldorf
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 1969

Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Arman, 1964, no. 45
Eindoven, Van Abbemuseum; Gent, Kunsthal Sint-Pietersabdij, Three Blind Mice, 1968
Nürnberg, Kunsthalle; Oslo, Henie Onstad Art Centre, Das Ding als Objekt (Our world of things - Objects), 1970, no. 23
Krefeld, Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Sammlung Helga und Walther Lauffs - Amerikanische und europäische Kunst der sechziger und siebziger Jahre, 1983-84, p. 43, no. 6, illustrated

Denyse Durand Ruel, Arman - Catalogue Raisonné III, Paris 1994, p. 59, no. 121, illustrated

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality of the red is deeper, with blue undertones. The resin is glossier and more translucent than it appears in the illustration, allowing the individual dials to stand out more prominently. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There is light wear to the corner tips and in places along the extreme edges, with associated paint loss and chips to the wood. There are minor rub-marks in various places on the board surrounding the resin rectangle, although some surface irregularities are original to the work's execution or functions of the medium chosen. There is some cracking to the turnover edges. There are screw-holes, located next to each of the four corners of the resin case, probably original to the work's execution. There are some scratches and rub marks at various places on the wooden board, especially along the resin case's rim. There are stable networks of cracks in the resin filling surrounding the dials. There is some rust to isolated dials, as well as to the screws that secure the resin case to the backing board, visible in the catalogue illustration. In some cases, there is discolouration to the resin, especially around the top right-hand-corner screw. There are also some stable cracks to the exterior of the resin case, especially around the screws, probably original to the work's execution.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"As a witness of my society, I have always been very much involved in the pseudobiological cycle of production, consumption, and destruction [...] I have been anquished by the fact that one of its most conspicuous material results is the flooding of our world with junk and rejected old objects."  (The artist cited in: Exhibition Catalogue, Paris, Galerie Enrico Navarra, Arman, 1997, p. 60)