L13024

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Lot 29
  • 29

Gabriel Orozco

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
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Description

  • Gabriel Orozco
  • Atomist: Making Strides
  • computer generated print mounted on aluminum
  • 199.1 by 199.4cm.; 78 3/8 by 78 1/2 in.
  • Executed in 1996, this work is number 2 from an edition of 3.

Provenance

Marian Goodman Gallery, New York

Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2004

Literature

London, The Devonshire Club, Gabriel Orozco: Empty Club, 1996, p. 36, illustrated in colour, n.p. and back cover, illustrated

Exhibition Catalogue, Los Angeles, The Museum of Contemporary Art; Mexico City, Museo Internacional Rufino Tamayo; Monterrey, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey, Gabriel Orozco, 2000-01, p. 146, illustration of another example in colour

Condition

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is slightly warmer and richer in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Very close inspection reveals minor wear to the centre of the lower and upper extreme edges, where the two printed sheets meet. There are a few tiny superficial media accretions adhering to the surface beneath the Plexiglas
"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

Atomist: Making Strides forms part of a series of works in which Gabriel Orozco adorned photographs of sportsmen with his signature combination of elegant ellipses and circles, rendering the original image utterly transformed through these distinctive elements of his creative praxis. The subject of the current lot is Shaun Pollock, a South African cricketer who captained the South African Cricket Team between 2000 and 2003. Caught mid-bowl, Orozco’s choice of image emphasises the extraordinary grace and skill exhibited by leading sportsmen and the mathematical precision required to perform at the very highest levels. Pollock’s upraised arm and outstretched leg invites associations with Leonardo Da Vinci’s legendary image of Vitruvian Man, in which perfect proportions are displayed within the parameters of a circle. Atomist: Making Stridesprovides a contemporary manifestation of this ancient concept, elevating the original image to a socio-cultural pantheon of artistic and historical icons.

Orozco has become renowned internationally for his utterly distinctive and diverse body of work, presenting viewers with unexpected juxtapositions and utilising ‘found’ objects or images in wholly unexpected circumstances. Geometrical abstraction is combined with commercial source imagery to create an artistic language that investigates the possibilities of representing movement - on canvas or in combination with photography - through non-objective means. The artist frequently employs ovals or circles to provide an added layer of meaning and symbolism to his paintings and images, and has discussed the importance of the circle within his work: “The circle for me is a very useful Instrument in terms of movement, in relation to gravity and erosion. It's the tendency of objects when they're in movement and are eroded by friction...” (the artist cited in: Exhibition Catalogue, Venice, Giardini di Castello, Arsenale, LI Biennale di Venezia: The Experience of Art, 2005, n.p.)