PHILLIPS PRESENTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FEBRUARY NEW YORK EDITIONS & WORKS ON PAPER AUCTION
Keith Haring Untitled, from Gran Pavese – The Flag Project, 1988 Monumental screenprint in colors, on polyester flag. 75 1/2 x 113 in. (191.8 x 287 cm) Signed, dated and numbered 2/10 in black ink on the accompanying Certificate of Authenticity issued by the publisher (there were also 4 in Roman numerals), published by Gran Pavese Foundation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Estimate $60,000 - 80,000
NEW YORK -- JANUARY 2025 – Phillips is pleased to announce highlights from its forthcoming Editions & Works on Paper sale taking place at 11AM ET on 12 February at its New York headquarters. Comprised of nearly 200 lots, the sale includes more than a dozen artists’ flags from the 1988 Gran Pavese Flag Project. A selection of prints from the private collection of master printer Hitoshi Kido, and a diverse range of works by important Black artists among other Modern, Postwar, Pop, and Contemporary highlights are also featured.
Bridget Riley Untitled, from Gran Pavese – The Flag Project, 1988 Monumental screenprint in colors, on polyester flag. 73 x 110 1/2 in. (185.4 x 280.7 cm) Signed and numbered 7/10 in black ink on the accompanying Certificate of Authenticity issued by the publisher (there were also 4 in Roman numerals), published by Gran Pavese Foundation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Estimate $6,000 - 9,000
Cary Leibowitz and Kelly Troester, Worldwide Co-Heads of Editions and Deputy Chairpersons, Americas, said, “Our February Editions & Works on Paper auction is the first sale of the year at Phillips New York, and we’re thrilled to kick off the season with a large selection that ranges widely in medium, scale, historical period, and artistic intent. From the massive flags of the Gran Pavese Flag Project to Willie Cole’s multi-media assemblages, the works included illustrate not only the category’s diversity but its infinite potential.”
The February Editions & Works on Paper auction will feature 13 of the 50 original Gran Pavese flags, including those designed by Keith Haring, Bridget Riley, Kenny Scharf, and Vito Acconci. In 1988, a small manmade island off the Dutch coast was animated with an outdoor contemporary art exhibition of monumental screen-printed flags. The project was envisioned by Gran Pavese Foundation who invited 50 internationally recognized artists to design their own interpretation of a flag. With no prescribed theme for the project, each artist executed his or her own design, propelled by unique artistic visions, socio-political convictions, and conceptual frameworks. The installation attracted throngs of international visitors to the Dutch coast and eventually traveled the world, from Frankfurt to Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall of China, and beyond
Willie Cole Domestic Shield I, 1992 Scorched canvas and cloth on wood, with ironing board legs, coated with resin and wax. 96 x 16 x 3 in. (243.8 x 40.6 x 7.6 cm) Signed and dated in black ink on the reverse. Estimate: $8,000 - 12,000
Twenty printer’s proofs from the collection of master printer Hitoshi Kido are included in the sale, all of which were printed during his time at Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE), where he spent nearly a decade working alongside artists such as Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist, Carroll Dunham, and Kiki Smith. Among the editions represented in the sale, Kido personally highlighted Robert Rauschenberg's Street Sounds for its technical precision, which required printing four color-separated photogravures onto a large sheet of paper.
Black artists and printmakers working across a variety of mediums feature prominently in the sale. Three works by Willie Cole showcase the multi-media artist’s use of everyday objects and assemblage techniques to recall his African American heritage. Monotypes by Stanley Whitney, Betye Saar, and Emma Amos illustrate the range of the medium and its painterly effect. Tschabalalala Self’s textile applique, Out of Body, Kehinde Wiley’s 18th century inspired jacquard woven tapestry, The Gypsy Fortune-Teller, and Kara Walker’s dark yet playful pop-up book, Freedom: A Fable, are strong examples of artists working in three-dimensions. Other artists represented include Mickalene Thomas, Bisa Butler, Robert Colescott, Rashid Johnson, and Howardena Pindell, among others.
Additional Highlights
Brice Marden’s Han Shan Exit from the mid-1980s illustrates the artist’s then blossoming interest in Chinese literature, as the series’ title pays homage to the Tang dynasty poet and Buddhist monk Han Shan. Jasper Johns’ Corpse and Mirror from 1976 features crosshatched lines and patterns inspired by the Surrealist drawing game “exquisite corpse.” The auction also features several works by Robert Rauschenberg spanning his career from the 1960s to the 1990s. One lot includes seven prints from his 1972-73 Made in Tampa series, which highlights the artist’s love of utilizing found objects, specifically cardboard. This in-depth exploration was undertaken in Central Florida, which served as a creative retreat for the remainder of his artistic career.
Andy Warhol 1928-1987 Brooklyn Bridge (F. & S. 290), 1983 Screenprint in colors, on Lenox Museum Board, the full sheet. S. 39 1/4 x 39 1/4 in. (99.7 x 99.7 cm) Signed and numbered 'AP 20/20' in pencil (an artist's proof, the edition was 200 and 25 unique color trial proofs), published by the 1983 Brooklyn Bridge Centennial Commission, Inc., New York, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge (with the Andy Warhol copyright inkstamp on the reverse), framed. Estimate: $25,000 - 35,000
Featured Pop selections include Andy Warhol’s 1983 Brooklyn Bridge, made in commemoration of the iconic landmark’s 100th anniversary. Each print in the series has its own unique color combination. Roy Lichtenstein’s 1990 Red Lamp offers a vignette of Post-War America at home, expanding on the imagery of his renowned Interiors Series. With the artist’s characteristic bold colors and dynamic figures, Keith Haring’s 1987 Pop Shop I was intended to promote unity and social harmony.This impression is intimately dedicated to Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane, the important 1980s choreographers who collaborated with Haring on a number of artistic projects and maintained strong friendships with the artist during their lifetimes.
Yayoi Kusama Shoes, 1984 Lithograph in colors, on Arches paper, with full margins. I. 12 1/4 x 16 in. (31.1 x 40.6 cm) S. 16 3/4 x 22 1/8 in. (42.5 x 56.2 cm) Signed, dated and numbered 6/30 in pencil (there were also 3 artist's proofs), framed. Estimate $15,000 - 25,000
Yayoi Kusama’s Shoes uses her infinity net motif as a backdrop for high-heeled shoes, which hearken back to her 1960s soft sculptures. Two monotypes by Lois Dodd, White Truck and Two Nudes and Laundry, represent a rare opportunity for collectors, as the Maine-based artist seldom works in the print medium. Other figurative highlights include seven prints by Henri Matisse showcasing his expert rendering of the human form, using various printmaking techniques from lithography to aquatints and drypoints. Pioneer printmaker Louise Bourgeois’s commanding and quiet aquatint, The Ladders, and the complete set of drypoints, Homely Girl, A Life, meditate on the complex and profound emotional states that encapsulate her larger body of work, where nine works by Mona Hatoum challenge surrealism and minimalism, using materials like marble, stoneware, and silicone.
Auction: 12 February 2025
Auction viewing: 4 -11 February 2025
Location: 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY
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