Christopher Wool

Luhring, Augustine & Hodes, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 1988

This work is in very good condition overall. There is a minor horizontal abrasion 1/8 inch long approximately 3 1/2 inches from the right edge and 25 inches from the bottom edge. This abrasion has resulted in minor paint loss to the white area which reveals the aluminum underneath. There is evidence of wear and handling to the bottom edge, particularly in the center of the panel, approximately 13 inches from the left edge. Under ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed.
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.

Untitled (S. 10) is a stellar example of Christopher Wool’s early mature body of work known as the "Pattern Paintings." The stunning simplicity of the pattern and the sharpness of the contrast between the black dots and clean white surface create a work of exceptional visual impact. The regular almost decorative pattern is a deception. The eye is not allowed to rest in one place nor rove over a particular area of interest, but instead is locked onto the surface, frozen into a mesmerized act of staring. The cleanliness and acuity of the contrast between mark and surface hits the viewer like a sucker punch, allowing Untitled (S. 10) to exercise an almost hypnotic power over them. From afar, the pattern suggests the illusion of movement—the self-contained sections of dots seem to undulate and recede before the viewer’s eyes.  The regularized pattern of dots within the painting are organized with a simple and irrefutable logic and yet it is difficult to look away from the painting let alone fully understand it. That is the enigma of Wool’s work and what makes it so powerful despite his highly accessible and storied pictorial language. The pattern of dots is one that recalls decorative wallpaper but also the work of artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Sigmar Polke. These are readymade organizations of marks that Wool then applies in his own direct and powerful manner. The use of an allover pattern refutes the possibility of the work having an identifiable center or background and demonstrates Wool’s absorption of the influence of the allover paintings of Pollock and Rothko. Without a center nor a background or a foreground, Wool creates a captivating surface that resists the eye’s desire to rest on a single place and so is spurred to constantly scan the painting. In Wool, unlike the aforementioned Abstract Expressionists, the surface and the marks become one. Part of this lies in Wool’s technique. In paintings such as Untitled (S. 10) that are done on aluminum, Wool literally burns the pattern into the surface fusing mark and support as one. This painting thus embodies many of the characteristics of Wool’s painting that have helped him be seen as one of the pioneers of abstraction of the past thirty years.