Contemporary Art
Contemporary Art
Lot Closed
October 6, 04:54 PM GMT
Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
KEITH MAYERSON
b. 1966
SAMURAI SUE
signed, titled and dated 2009 on the reverse
oil on linen
16 by 12 in. (40.6 by 30.5 cm.)
Marlborough Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Keith Mayerson’s exactingly executed and often personal portraits feature historical or popular figures who have shaped some part of the American identity. Samurai Sue, executed in 2009 as part of a series of works commissioned by editor Ingrid Sischy for her last issue of Interview Magazine, is archetypal of Mayerson’s practice. Depicting world-renowned journalist and fashion critic Suzy Menkes, the present work offers an intimate look at the larger-than-life character, nicknamed “Samurai Sue” for the great power she wields in fashion circles and for her distinctive signature topknot hairstyle. Based on a photograph taken by the artist backstage at the Dior show that was held at the polo grounds at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, the jewel-like scale of the painting creates the impression of a private moment glimpsed between the colorful glamor and frenetic energy in the world of couture. Other works from this series were featured in the My American Dream installation of the 2014 Whitney Biennial.