L12023

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Lot 220
  • 220

Thomas Houseago

Estimate
60,000 - 80,000 GBP
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Description

  • Thomas Houseago
  • Sketch for 3 Heads/Carving/Column
  • redwood, oil bar and graphite
  • 208 by 40 by 40cm.; 81 7/8 by 15 3/4 by 15 3/4 in.
  • Executed in 2009.

Provenance

Michael Werner Gallery, New York
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Exhibited

Marfa, Ballroom Marfa, Two Face: Aaron Curry and Thomas Houseago, 2009, p. 105, illustrated in colour

Condition

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the wood is slightly darker in the original. The catalogue illustration fails to fully convey the work's three dimensionality, apparent in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. On close inspection, there are a small number of minor chips to the extreme edge where the top and lower blocks of wood meet. There are a few media accretions, paint splatters and minor surface irregularities in places thoughout which are inherent to the artist's choice of medium and working process.
"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."

Catalogue Note

This sculpture provides a unique example and visual exploration of the working process of the internationally recognised figurative sculptor, Thomas Houseago. The formation of art is vital in understanding the work of Houseago, who sees this process as central to the way we should read and interpret his art. 'I am fascinated by the actions that an artist takes to make something, and I want them to be an important part of how you see and read the piece'. (Thomas Houseago, quoted in an interview with Rachel Rosenfeld-Lafo, Los Angeles, November 2010) Consequently, this piece becomes an invaluable work in the canon of Houseago's art.

The sculpture has been roughly marked and carved into, creating a piece reminiscent of a totem pole. Immediately evoked from this subject are suggestions of tribal culture, and related legends and mythologies. The rough, unfinished result further serves to visualise the artist's pursuit of exploring the primitive in art. Three heads materialize from the redwood in various stages of completion. Eyes emerge as chipped outlines or caverns of differing depth, shape and size. Noses are formed by hollows in the cheeks, or in the case of the central head, fail to appear at all. The result is a dreamy, mysterious work performed in the language associated with primitivism.

Houseago's formal language is deeply routed in the legacy of art history. The naive, angular forms hark back to the formal explorations of Constantin Brancusi and Picasso. Thickset figures are reminiscent of Rodin. As a whole, the piece draws reference to a multitude of art historical styles such as non-western art, cubism and futurism. However, Houseago's works offer a playful, more critical contemplation of sculpture. This bold piece explores and realises sculptural form through an intentionally primitive style and deliberately clumsy method. It offers a teasing rendition of historic artistic styles within the context of contemporary sculptural expectations. This work acts as a reinterpretation of modernism by a truly contemporary artist.