Robert Heinecken

4 unique Polaroid SX-70 prints, tipped to 3 sheets of BFK Rives deckle-edged paper with printed text, each sheet signed, dated, and editioned 'Special Artists' Proof - #7 of 14' in pencil, 1978, no. 7 of the Special Artists' Proof edition of 14, aside from the regular edition of 50 (4 photographs on 3 mounts)

This triptych is in generally excellent condition. Polaroid Drawing Triptych/1 - In the upper margin of the thin paper mount, there are 2 small rust-colored deposits of indeterminate nature.
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.
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In the Polaroid Drawing Triptych offered here, Robert Heinecken sets forth his philosophy of, and instructions for, manipulating Polaroid SX-70 prints, which he refers to as 'Polaroid drawing.'  Included in his manuscript text, reproduced at length on three sheets of BFK Rives, are his suggestions on what subjects to choose, how to alter the malleable SX-70 surface with pencils, and what results may be obtained.  He commends the speed of working with Polaroids for the purposes of training one's eye: 'The ability to create, see, and further manipulate images, then to simulate "drawing" in just minutes,' he writes, 'allows rapid and concentrated trial and error learning.  You will be able to cram years of eye training into a few weeks—with your Polaroid camera.'  The four SX-70s that comprise the illustrations supposedly trace the evolution of one 'Polaroid drawing' from beginning to end result, although it is clear that, with a wink to his audience, Heinecken uses four different images. 

The Polaroid Drawing Triptych is dedicated to four masters of the manipulated SX-70: Les Krims and Lucas Samaras, both of whose work is featured in this catalogue; Dominic Sicilia, author of the definitive 1977 volume, Instant Photo/Instant Art: The New Simple Technique that Turns SX-70 Polaroid Photos into Beautiful Frameable Paintings; and California photographer Norman Locks, whose work with the SX-70 won him considerable fame in the 1970s.  Locks is now a Professor of Art at the University of California at Santa Cruz.