GENE DAVIS (1920 - 1985) | Study for Artpark Work, 1979

acrylic and graphite on linen; signed, titled, dated '1979' and inscribed on the reverse

Collection of the Artist
Irving Feldman Galleries, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner in November 1984

This work is in very good condition overall. There is a surface layer of dust and scattered, pinpoint accretions, predominantly to the unpainted passages, some of which fluoresce under Ultraviolet light inspection. Under Ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Framed.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

Gene Davis was a central figure in the Washington Color School, a group of painters focused on exploring the relationship between bold colors. In 1972, Davis took his vision to a new scale by creating 'Franklin’s Footpath,' painting his signature bands of color on the street in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 1979, Davis embarked on a similar project, 'Niagra ‘79,' that the present work is a study for. In this iteration of his outdoor paintings, the artist hand rolled sixty, 2-foot wide by 364-foot long lines across the parking lot of Arpark, a not-for-profit public park and art space still active in Lewiston, NY. At 43,000 square feet, the work was heralded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest painting in the world at the time.