Tony Cragg

dice and fiberglass
152 by 173 by 173cm.
Executed in 1999.

Galeria Andre Viana, Arco, Madrid
Acquired by the present owner from the above in March 2000

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There are scattered light surface accretions and abrasions to the dice and some dust has accumulated in the crevices. Please note the auction begins at 9:00 am on November 12th.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"Secretions, from a distance, looks like a stack of raffia baskets and straw hats, but the stack is covered in thousands–perhaps millions–of plastic dice. Cragg said he saw a bag of them in a resale shop and was attracted by the plastic's attempt to look like ivory. He then remembered a quote of Albert Einstein's: 'God does not play dice with the world.' That was enough to inspire this sculpture. For verisimilitude of the game of chance, Cragg and his staff threw handfuls of die into a basket and then placed them on the surface exactly as they rolled." - Gaile Robinson, Review of Tony Cragg: Seeing Things at Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, January 2012