Lot 32
  • 32

Iván Navarro

Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 HKD
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Description

  • Iván Navarro
  • Come
  • neon plexiglass letters, wood, mirror and one-way mirror
  • 84 by 84 by 18 cm.
  • 2010
executed in 2010, this work is no. 3 of an edition of 3 + 1AP

Provenance

Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris
Acquired from the above by the current owner

Condition

This work is generally in good condition. Please note the work comes with a power switch and type C electric plug.
"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

This work is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity from the Navarro Studio

Iván Navarro is known internationally for his socio-politically charged sculptures of neon, fluorescent and incandescent light.  In 2009, he represented Chile at the 53rd Venice Biennale. The artist works with mirrors, alongside light, in which viewers lose themselves in an apparently infinite space, as neon phrases or structures loom out, suggesting what lies beyond. These abyss-like works can link back to Navarro's pre-occupation of being abducted as a child. Growing up in Chile during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, Navarro experienced the regime's systems of control and repression. Echoes of this have found expression in his art, both in his choice of medium, and in the meaning his neon sculptures hold. As a child Navarro was used to electricity being shut off to keep citizens at home and isolated; "All the pieces that I've made make reference to controlling activity, and electricity, was a way to control people."
The current lot, Come, controls not only light, but also the viewer's perceptions: the flat neon wall sculpture mirrors itself to infinity and gives viewers the illusion of looking into the hollow interior of a tunnel, the word "COME" almost hypnotically drawing the viewer to 'come' in. The illusion has been cleverly created with light and mirrors (both one-way and normal), and the alluring nature of the work is enhanced by the red neon which provides a warm sense of comfort.
A similar wall sculpture was exhibited as part of the hugely popular Light Show at the Hayward Gallery in London (January – May 2013), which explored interactions with light through a series of sculptures and installations dating from the 1960s to the present day. Each work in the show shaped its surrounding space, creating an immersive environment through a manipulation of colour, duration, intensity, and perceptual phenomena.
The artist currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.