Christopher Wool

Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above

This work is in very good condition overall. There is scattered evidence of light handling along the edges. There are a few extremely faint colorless drip accretions at the bottom of the painting. There is a faint, 4 inch abrasion located 10 inches from the bottom edge and 13 inches from the right edge. There are two areas of inconsistency in the paint application in the bottom right quadrant which appears as small round splatters. There is a small 1 inch area of restoration located 4 inches from the right edge and 10 inches from the bottom edge.
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.

Christopher Wool's work has been characterized as dry and cool, subtle and pleasant but behind this understated veneer; it is alive and "quietly controversial." Returning to painting in 1981 after a brief hiatus, Wool has spent the last two decades engrossed in the traditions of art history,  working to reinvent abstract painting in a vernacular that has the perfect dose of high and low art; the perfect combination of old-school and avant-garde. As Glenn O'Brien notes, "Wool has absorbed the whole esthetic enchilada of the 20^th century and he refries it afresh every time." (Christopher Wool, Cologne, 2008, p. 10)

In 1986, Wool introduced rubber rollers in his work and in 1988 began to work with rubber stamps. Untitled (P118), executed as such, is an example of the artist's exploration of the possibilities of decorative imagery. The power of repetition is a wonderful tool to eliminate meaning; it is not so much about the image of the running men themselves but more about their serial aesthetic. The rubber stamp paintings were a precursor to his silkscreen works; a medium which opened the door to new possibilities in scale and process similar to Andy Warhol. The present work is a testament to Wool's perpetual interest in the process of creation; it lives and breathes the process of painting, keeping it alive and daring. In his own words: "I became more interested in how to paint it than what to paint." (Christopher Wool in Exh. Cat., Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, Christopher Wool, 1998, p. 261).