Judit Reigl

Galerie de France, Paris

The canvas in original. There is a circa 5cm vertical tear in the centre of the half right quadrant of the composition. However, this is only noticeable upon very close inspection and could benefit from restoration. A light green mark is visible closer to the lower left corner – this appears to be due to some old adhesive material on the reverse of the canvas. The picture is otherwise in good condition and ready to hang. Presented 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. 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."

Painted in 1983 the present work is part of Reigl’s Unfolding series. During the years of 1982-83 ‘Reigl makes two changes in the realisation of her works: on the one hand, she mixes metallic powders (silver, bronze, aluminium) into the paint, which multiplies the embellishment of the surface. On the other, she modifies the way the paintings are to be read once she has finished them by putting them in a vertical position. The painter’s lines, which can now be read from top to bottom of the canvas, can no longer be read as writing, seeming instead to recreate now some fantastic architecture of pillars rising up against the sky, or an overblown image of microscopic phenomena. According to Reigl, the truth of the universe depends on this unity, on the unending cycle of becoming, from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, from the living to the inanimate. It depends on the secret rhythm followed by this universe: an alternation of expansion and contraction, chaos and order that the artist, almost without knowing it, transcribes into her works as she captures a “flow” that is beyond her, but to which she nevertheless belongs.”
Jean-Paul Ameline : La lutte avec l’ange, in catalogue Judit Reigl, Fondation pour l’art contemporain, Toulouse 2003 ; L’Arsenal, Musée de Soissons, 2004, éditions Pérégrines / Le Seuil