DO1301

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Lot 26
  • 26

Mounir Fatmi

Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 USD
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Description

  • Mounir Fatmi
  • Sonia Sonia Sonia
  • each; signed, titled and dates 2011 on the reverse
  • collage of prayer rugs laid on linen canvas in artist's frame, in three parts
  • Executed in 2011, this work is unique.

Condition

Condition: This work is in very good condition. Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate. The overall tonality is slightly richer where the whites tend towards a lighter grey, the greens tend towards an olive green, the red tends towards a darker orange and the yellow towards a softer mustard in the original work. The illustration also fails to convey the three dimensionality of the work.
"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

Born in Tangiers in 1970, Mounir Fatmi works across a remarkably wide range of media, from video art to collage and traditional painting, pushing the boundaries of his materials to create a diverse and fascinating body of work. Sonia, Sonia, Sonia is a one of Fatmi’s most thrilling collages to date, a kaleidoscopic explosion of vivid colours and multifaceted patterns that acts as a glorious homage to the work of Sonia Delaunay. Sonia, Sonia, Sonia brilliantly combines elements of East and West into a resonant whole, creating a work of extraordinary complexity and beauty. The triptych format not only allows for greater artistic experimentation and development, but also invites intriguing parallels with Western Medieval and Renaissance altarpieces in its composition. Whilst the purpose of such triptychs was to encourage piety, Fatmi’s work arguably serves a more secular purpose.

Fatmi’s artwork is intricately formed from fragments of over hundred prayer rugs; their original devotional role has been rendered as null through the cutting up and re-ordering of the fabric itself. At first glance the abstract design and brilliant colours of these collaged textiles grab one’s attention, distracting from its original use. However on closer inspection there are signs of the origins of the recycled material. Sections of these designs can be spotted: snippets of Islamic architectural designs, mosque roofs, and images of the Ka’ba.  Through a structured method of dissection, these rugs undergo an ultimate process of de-secularisation as they are transformed into an object of art. All previous religious associations to the rugs are discarded; in its replacement a luxurious item is invented. This desacralized commodity takes on a renewed purpose, and a commercial value. Sonia, Sonia, Sonia, is a fascinating narrative and exploration into the status and role of de-sanctified objects, and the commercial art world.

The focus on circular patterns and the vibrant colours within Sonia, Sonia, Sonia affectionately echoe the art of Delaunay, a pioneer of abstraction during the early 20th century alongside her husband, Robert Delaunay. Together the two painters worked primarily within a style known as Orphism, a term that was first used in 1912 by the poet Guillaume Apollinaire to describe the emphasis on colour and amorphous forms which dominated their paintings in which shapes were increasingly fragmented and objects distorted almost beyond recognition. Delaunay later turned her attention to textile design, continuing to work in the style for which her paintings have become so celebrated. Within Sonia, Sonia, Sonia, Fatmi reinvents Delaunay’s ground-breaking concepts into an utterly unique 21st century artistic language via the imaginative use of textiles and forms, creating a work of astonishing beauty and astounding technical virtuosity.

Fatmi’s daring use of religious iconography and materials, reinvented as illustrative mediums for the exploration of his creative concepts pose a great risk of censorship and backlash for the artist. However the strength of topics explored in Sonia, Sonia, Sonia such as the contemporary Arab world, its development and urbanisation in relation to religious values, justifies the use of such materials. Within this work, Fatmi effectively provides a fresh perspective on notions of daily life, faith and modernity in the Arab world, a relative issue to an extensive populace.