- 353
Paul McCarthy
Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Paul McCarthy
- Bow Bridges I & II (from Sailor's Meat)
- Cibachrome print, in two parts
- each: 162.5 by 109.3cm.; 64 by 43in.
- Executed in 1975-92.
Provenance
Luhring Augustine, New York
Air de Paris, Paris
Private Collection (acquired from the above in 1977)
Sale: Sotheby's, London, Contemporary Art - Including Property from the Collection of Wolfgang Hahn, 25 October 2005, Lot 134
Acquired directly from the above by the present onwer
Air de Paris, Paris
Private Collection (acquired from the above in 1977)
Sale: Sotheby's, London, Contemporary Art - Including Property from the Collection of Wolfgang Hahn, 25 October 2005, Lot 134
Acquired directly from the above by the present onwer
Literature
Ralph Rugoff, Kristine Stiles & Giacinto Di Pietrantino eds., Paul McCarthy, London, 1996, pp. 48-49, illustrations of stills from the performance video
Condition
Colour
The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate.
Condition:
This work is in very good condition.
"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."
"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
Paul McCarthy’s 1975 performance Sailor’s Meat is the significant subject of the present lot Bow and Brides I & II (From Sailor’s Meat) where the artist acts as a female sex object copulating with ground beef and mayonnaise jars, while at the same time embodying the character of a degraded male sailor. The importance of this work is seminal to the following groundbreaking performances of the artist and set the ground for the understanding of his other bodies of work. Paul McCarthy took his inspiration from a sensual publicity still of a female actress from a 1963 soft-porn film Europe in the Raw. During the performance Paul McCarthy wore a blonde wig, blue eye shadow, and black panties and acted aggressively interacting through his sexual behavior with food and more specifically flour, ketchup, mayonnaise and meat. The present work anticipated many of McCarthy’s other shocking and absurd pieces, and stressed the artist’s interest in exploring repressed psychological states, social taboos, and consumption, and how they relate to each other.