David Thorpe

Stephen Friedman Gallery, London
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 1998

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the yellow appears neon orange in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There are artist's pin holes in all four corners and to the centre of the left edge. There is a tiny fly spot in the blue collage towards the top left corner. There there is light undulation to the paper in the top half of the composition.
"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."

King of the Night is a fascinating example of David Thorpe’s enigmatic series of works featuring futuristic architectural forms and cityscapes. Reminiscent of Le Corbusier’s Voisin Plan of 1925 – intended to transform the city of Paris into a series of high rises – three skyscrapers soar towards the night sky, luridly illuminated by vivid lines of electric light. The scene is bisected by a darkened flyover, viewed from a disorienting perspective: the viewer appears to be gazing upwards from an almost horizontal position. The lack of human activity and the overwhelming darkness of the scene lends the work a curiously dystopian quality, as though Thorpe has glimpsed a vision of a somewhat disturbing, perhaps mechanical, future; one in which humanity seems to dwell in a perpetually sunless world. Though Thorpe’s subject matter is reminiscent of contemporary science fiction, his techniques are exquisitely traditional, focussing on the concepts of Victorian paper-cutting and collage to create a work of multi-layered complexity. The result is an extraordinary amalgamation of the historical and the ultra-modern: an intriguing foretaste of a possible future of our world.