- Opera Gallery

gr and
opening
2
preface
W
e are thrilled to open the doors of Opera Gallery Beirut in the ancient geographical
core of the Beirut Central District, an area whose reconstruction constitutes one
of the most ambitious contemporary urban developments in the Middle East.
Overlooking both the city’s trendy epicenter and the Beirut Roman baths, Opera
Gallery’s integration into the textured tapestry of Beirut’s archeological heritage
marks a significant development for both our growing gallery group and the burgeoning creative pulse of
Lebanon’s capital. In 400 square meters of exhibition space including one floor dedicated solely to Masters
works, we plan to continue to grow our global aesthetic with a dedicated focus on the inclusion of Middle
Eastern art.
Since its inception, Opera Gallery Group has strived to offer its international collectors unique access to a
diversity of multicultural artists, from the works of Modern Masters such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall,
Bernard Buffet, Henri Matisse, Lucio Fontana, and Andy Warhol, to the most sought-after contemporary
artists such as Marc Quinn, Yayoi Kusama, Yue Minjun, David Mach, Gérard Rancinan, Lita Cabellut, and Joe
Black, among many others.
The selection presented here embodies Opera Gallery’s expansive breadth of genres, mediums, and represented
regions, showcasing a sample of our distinctive collection for our exciting new gallery space. Adapted to the
dynamics of today’s world, Opera Gallery Group offers an eclectic mix of styles and artworks that exemplify not
only the varied tastes and styles prevalent in the artistic sphere, but also the gallery’s foremost dedication to
the accessibility of art and the universal communication it inspires.
Gilles Dyan Georges Chaloub
Founder and Chairman
Opera Gallery Group
Owner
Opera Gallery Beirut
4
CONTEMPORAry
art
d e raksh ani
Fa r ha d mo sh iri
Koor osh Sh ishe gara n
Paul Ale xis
David Mach
Ti mur D'Vatz
Jea n -Pi er r e Ro c-Ro uss e y
Sylva i n Tre mbl ay
Li ta Cabe l lut
Phi li ppe Pasq ua
An ton i o Se guÍ
Jea n -Fr a n ç oi s Larrie u
Erne sto
Da mi en Hirst
Um berto Mariani
Edua r do Gue lfe nbe in
Joha n n e Co rno
Mr. Brainwash
Se e n
Reza
re z a
DERAKSHANI
[ b. 1952 ]
6
Garden Party Green, 2011
Signed (on the reverse)
Oil on canvas, 200 x 100 cm - 78.7 x 39.4 in.
Reza Derakshani is a painter,
musician and performance artist
born in Sangsar, a small village in the
northeast of Iran.
Raised in a nomadic family in the
mountains, Derakshani's diverse
creative energies were deeply
influenced by the changing seasons
and landscapes he grew up amongst.
Harnessing the wonders of creation
in multiple avenues of artistic
expression, his admiration for natural
beauty is enormously present in his
work. Derakshani's career includes
collaborations with renowned artists,
musicians and poets including Deepak
Chopra, Madonna, Dawn Avery and
Simone Haggiag, among many others.
He currently lives and works between
Tehran, the US and Europe and is
considered one of Iran’s most important
contemporary artists.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Derakshani’s rebellious exploration of form and style are brilliantly rendered in the
link between tradition and modernism present in this piece. Seduced by Abstract Art
during his personal exodus to New York in the 1980s, Derakshani’s work is heavily
inspired by the soul of Persian miniatures and the freedom displayed by the artists of
New Wave American Modernism. A trained and established musician as well as painter,
Derakshani’s Garden Party Green symphonically merges the abstract to the figurative.
Fa r h a d
M OSHIRI
[ b. 1963 ]
8
Untitled, 1999
Signed and dated 'F. Moshiri 99' (lower left)
Mixed media on canvas, 140 x 85 cm - 55.1 x 33.5 in.
Born in Shiraz, Iran in 1963 and now
provenance
living and working in Paris, Farhad
Private collection
Moshiri’s work is expressed through a
personal language that communicates
with both Iranian and Western cultures.
Inspired by Pop Art, Moshiri’s work
oscillates between the playful and
decorative as well as the more critical,
a style in line with the philosophical
core of pop culture. Acknowledging
both the flaws of contemporary Iran
and the limitations of the Western
world, Moshiri’s works toy with the
experimental and the figurative within a
challenging cultural status quo.
Public notes
In 1999 Moshiri started a series of works on canvas inspired by ceramic jars he had
seen in a museum in his hometown of Tehran. Vaguely evocative of the Saqqakheneh
school, an Iranian art movement inspired by Persian calligraphic traditions that is often
attributed to Parviz Tanavoli, the marbled surface of the jars in Moshiri’s paintings are
overlain with popular Americanisms. A golden age of ironic Iranian art, Moshiri’s guileful
references to the Iranian modern Pop Art movement have made his jar series some of
the most highly collectible artworks in the country.
Ko or o s h
SHISHEGARAN
[ b. 1944 ]
10
Untitled, 2011
Signed 'Koorosh' (lower left)
Acrylic on canvas, 160 x 130 cm - 63 x 51.2 in.
Koorosh Shishegaran was born
in Iran in 1944.
Recognized worldwide for his familiar
‘doodle’ style of painting and popular
revolutionary posters, Shishegaran’s
artistic life is divided into a number
of distinct periods. Before the 1980s
he focused on reproductive artworks
before transitioning to appropriation,
Street Art and Post Art, a method
using public posts as an instrument
of communicating to the public.
Shishegaran began printing political
posters in 1976 during the Lebanese
Civil War, a style that eventually won
him an honorary certificate from the
United Nations for his poster of “For
Peace in Lebanon”.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
In the early 1980s Shishegaran was accused of anti-regime activities and imprisoned by
the Iranian government. Since his release the artist has focused on linear, non-political
paintings that are now considered his signature style, as seen in this piece. Inspired by
calligraphy, the artist’s use of tone, volume and layering create an intense surface with
a surprising sense of depth. Stylistically minimal and deceptively simple, these works
represent an organized chaos heightened by a visual energy and dynamism.
pau l
ALEXIS
[ b. 1947 ]
12
Oum Kalsoum, 2010
Signed 'Paul Alexis' (lower left)
Oil on wire netting on canvas, 135 x 115 cm - 53.1 x 45.3 in.
Paul Alexis is a French artist
born in 1947.
His work is comprised of a
superimposition of multiple painted
metal sheets atop a coloured canvas.
Greatly influenced by his travels
through China, Alexis’s art is infused
with an abstract realism that forces
the viewer into a double take. Lurking
under the metal layers is a familiar
image, unseen from up close, but as
the viewer steps back a face, an object,
an icon is revealed from the painterly
shadows. Preferring to work in large
formats, Alexis’s works engulf the
viewer in their purity of colour and
ghostly forms, the joy of recognition an
integral part of the viewer’s experience.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Oum Kalsoum was an internationally acclaimed Egyptian singer, songwriter and film
actress of the 20th century. Her honorary title, “Star of the East”, reflects her position
as the most widely regarded Arabic singer in history. In this piece, Alexis captures the
elegance of the superstar even in her later years as she stares longingly into the distance,
adorned in her trademark sunglasses and unparalleled grace.
dav i d
M ACH
[ b. 1956 ]
14
Sherene, 2010
Signed 'David Mach' (lower right)
Postcards and photographies on wood, 183 x 183 cm - 72 x 72 in.
Best known for his flowing
assemblages made from massproduced objects, David Mach’s works
are painstaking studies of form and
temporality.
A Scottish sculptor and installation
artist, many of Mach’s public works
are temporary and socially critical
in nature, representing the artist’s
insistence on creating coherence out of
the relentless objects and imagery that
inundates us.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Made from thousands of postcards, Sherene is an excellent example of Mach’s painstaking,
highly detailed assemblage works.
t im u r
D ’ VAT Z
[ b. 1968 ]
16
Falcon, 2012
Signed with intial ‘T’ with a crown on top (lower right)
Mixed media on canvas, 107 x 127 cm - 42.1 x 50 in.
Timur D’Vatz is a figurative painter
born in Moscow.
He studied at the Republic College
of Art in Uzbekistan and later in the
Royal Academy of Art in London. His
work has won him several awards,
including the A.T. Kearney Prize and
the B.P. Portrait award from the
London National Portrait Gallery in
2002. Depicting ancient symbols and
legends in a striking, primarily earth
tone palette, D’Vatz’s paintings convey a
medieval history made relevant through
a contemporary vibrancy of colour.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Falcon depicts a mystical scene of falconry that has been repeated for thousands of years
through Arabia and the Middle East. An art form believed to have originated over 4,000
years ago, the intense relationship between the birds and their handlers remains one
of the most mysterious elements of the art. Seen here together with a handler and two
men, the falcon, though smaller in size, possesses an enigmatic presence.
Jean-Pierre
ROC - ROUSSEY
[ b. 1951 ]
18
Apsara en vert et jaune bras levés, 2013
Signed ‘Roc-Roussey’ (centre left)
Oil on canvas, 195 x 70 cm - 76.8 x 27.6 in.
Born near Paris in 1951, Jean-Pierre
Roc-Roussey worked as a graphic
designer, book illustrator and
poster designer before transitioning
full time into painting. Recognized
for his mythical, baroque-inspired
compositions, Roc-Roussey’s paintings
explore themes of the human face
and body. Accentuating the figure to
dramatic proportions, his style flirts
between the elegant and the grotesque.
Using a jewel-toned palette,
Roc-Roussey’s figures are embellished
in spectacular, imaginative costumes
disconnected from a particular place
in time.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
In Apsara en vert et jaune bras levés Roc-Roussey captures the beautiful Apsara, the
female spirit of clouds and water in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Believed to be
supernatural female beings, apsaras represent youth, elegance and the art of dance.
Artworks depicting the spirits often present them in flight. Ethereal in their essence,
Roc-Roussey’s strong use of colour and form situates his apsara precariously between
the tangible and ethereal worlds.
S y lva i n
T RE M BLAY
[ b. 1966 ]
20
Êtres de lumière intemporels (triptych), 2011
Signed ‘SylvainTremblay’ (lower right)
Mixed media on canvas, 152 x 213 cm - 59.8 x 83.9 in.
Sylvain Tremblay is a Canadian artist
born in 1966 in Quebec City.
He earned a degree in graphic design
and illustration before deciding to
devote himself full time to art. A painter
and performance artist, Tremblay
frequently exhibits around North
America, Europe, Asia and the Middle
East, most recently as part of the
Canada Pavilion at the 2010 Expo in
Shanghai and the Beijing International
Art Biennial. Tremblay currently lives
and works in Dubai, where in addition to
painting he also teaches the history of
Modern Art at the Canadian University
of Dubai.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
This striking triptych reveals Tremblay's Giacometti-inspired figures ablaze in the artist's
signature veneer. The emerging figures, roughly sketched and hardly discernable upon
first glance, speak to the artist's reference to the human condition within an overbearing
external context. Waif-like, they undulate through the backdrop, as unintelligible as they
are apparent.
lita
CABELLU T
[ b. 1961 ]
22
Hidden dreams 19, 2014
Signed (on the reverse)
Mixed media on canvas, 270 x 200 cm - 106.3 x 78.7 in.
Born in 1961 in Barcelona to a Gipsy
family, Lita Cabellut is a prolific
contemporary portraitist.
Inspired by the ubiquitous fresco
paintings in her hometown, Cabellut
developed a unique technique that
yields an inimitable quality and texture
to her work. Delicately combining
traditional and contemporary styles,
her paintings have been exhibited in
galleries and museums worldwide.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
In her signature fresco style of portraiture, Cabellut’s young beauty stares contemplatively
from beneath a fractured canvas. Her eyes alight with the fear that accommodates the
wise, the girl appears poised between expression and concealment of a provocative selfassurance. Referring to the declaration of a secret or concealed ambition, Cabellut’s
Hidden Dreams series captures the moment before a dream is finally and cathartically
revealed.
Philippe
PASQUA
[ b. 1965 ]
24
M12, 2011
Signed and dated (lower right)
Mixed media on paper laid down on canvas, 110 x 80 cm - 43.3 x 31.5 in.
Born in the French Riviera in 1965,
the self-taught Philippe Pasqua uses
diverse mediums to achieve
the impassioned quality of his
large-scale portraits.
His work is inspired by the varied types
of humans he encounters in his daily
life and travels. Famously elusive,
Pasqua's evocative painting style has
asserted him as one of the major artists
of his generation.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Influenced by artists such as Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, Pasqua’s distinguished
figurative technique reveals the vulnerability of his subject through frank realism
and intensity. Drawn to the unusual, many of Pasqua’s subjects include prostitutes,
transvestites, or people moments after trauma in an attempt to capture the underbelly
of human existence.
AntonIo
SEGU Í
[ b. 1934 ]
26
Todos Nerviosos, 2011
Signed and dated 'Seguí 4.3.2011' (on the reverse)
Acrylic on canvas, 146 x 114 cm - 57.5 x 44.9 in.
Born in Córdoba in 1934, Antonio Seguí
is a highly influential contemporary
Latin American painter.
After finishing his studies at the San
Fernando Academy in Madrid and the
École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where
he returned in the 1980s as a professor,
the artist travelled the world, visiting
North Africa, Latin America and Mexico.
Collecting the multiculturalism he
encountered overseas, Seguí relocated
to Paris in the 1960s and set about
capturing the quintessential aura of
contemporary urban culture. Seguí’s
work is exhibited in more than 100
museums around the globe, including
the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris,
the MoMA in New York and the Museu
de Arte Moderna de São Paulo.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Influenced by artists such as Diego Rivera and Fernand Léger, Seguí’s works are satirical
critiques of man both within and outside of society. His visual language translates the
incessancy of urban persistence into a sense of absurdity we can identify with. In this
piece, which translates into All Nervous, Seguí employs his signature visual language to
evoke a desire to stand out within the restlessness of urbanity.
Jean-François
LARRIEU
[ b. 1960 ]
28
Village en fête, 2014
Signed ‘Larrieu’ (lower right)
Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 150 cm - 78.7 x 59.1 in.
Jean-François Larrieu is a French
painter born in 1960.
He is president of the Salon
d’Automne de Paris and President of
the government affiliated Fondation
Taylor. Larrieu’s elaborate oil paintings
are exotic portrayals of nature and
architecture that are striking in their
vivid form and colour.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Larrieu’s Village en fête exemplifies the artist’s unique, joyous way of portraying dense
urban spaces. Suggesting the reaffirmation of roots, both literally and figuratively, Village
en fête is a classic example of the artist’s ability to infuse magic, imagination and musical
cadence to any scene his brush depicts.
i
ERNES TO
[ b. 1960 ]
30
Diamond Girls, 2009
Signed ‘Ernesto’ (lower right); signed and dated ‘Ernesto 2009’ (on the reverse)
Acrylic on canvas, 162 x 97 cm - 63.8 x 38.2 in.
Born in Portugal, Ernesto moved to
Paris to study at the école des
Beaux-Arts at the age of 18.
Greatly influenced by the Parisian
lifestyle and atmosphere, Ernesto’s
mystical and mysterious personality
has helped him develop an inventive
style of painting. Plainly decorative,
Ernesto’s inspiration stems from
a desire to create eye-pleasing
harmonies of intimate scene and
charming subjects that depart from the
difficulties of everyday life.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Ernesto's elegant subjects, well-dressed and lazily beautiful, suggest a playful
nonchalance. Occupying the centre of the canvas, they command attention yet seem
oblivious to the scene around them. Self-assured, the women gaze knowingly at each
other as if hiding the secret to a happy life.
Da m i e n
HIRS T
[ b. 1965 ]
32
Diligam te Domine, 2009
Signed 'Damien Hirst' and numbered (lower left and centre)
Silkscreen print with diamond dust, edition of 50 + 10 AP, 74 x 71.5 cm - 29.1 x 28.1 in.
Born in Bristol in 1965, Damien Hirst
first emerged in the public eye after
conceiving and curating Freeze in
1988, an exhibition featuring works by
him and his friends from Goldsmiths
College in London. Considered one
of the most prominent artists of his
generation and a spearhead of the
loosely coined Young British Artists
group of the 1990s, Hirst’s work often
pushed boundaries and tested the
limits of public acceptance. Notable
for its strong associations to life and
death, Hirst’s work calls into question
our awareness and convictions about
preconceived societal truth.
Public notes
Drawing from his large-scale mandalas of dead insects, Hirst’s Psalm Prints, Diligam
te Domine, are arranged in a pattern that mimics the precision of a collector’s display
while calling to mind the beauty in the demise. Incorporating butterfly wings into stained
glass-like images are a temperate example of Hirst’s controversial works, which include
encasing dead animals in various states of preservation, filling cabinets with cigarette
butts and constructing city maps out of razor blades.
Um b e rto
M ARIANI
[ b. 1936 ]
34
Senza titolo 4, 2014
Signed and titled (on the reverse)
Vinyl and sand on lead sheet, 90 x 120.5 cm - 35.4 x 47.4 in.
Umberto Mariani is a post-World War
II multimedia artist whose work is
reminiscent of the three dimensional
spatialism of the Italian avant-garde.
Recognized for his affinity to the folds
of textiles, Mariani was inspired by
the Classical Greek statues he grew
up observing on the streets of Italy.
Fascinated by the delicate folds of fabric
carved out of white marble Mariani
developed a desire to manipulate the
material. Best known for his complex
draperies on irregular-shaped
canvases, his work explores illusions
of light and shadow created within the
folds of fabric. New multi-dimensional
works include lead sheets beneath
intricate drapery, whereby the fabric
both serves to conceal a mysterious
object beneath while also evoking its
presence.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
In this metallic piece, Mariani's signature deftness with light and shadow is superbly
rendered. Concurrently forceful and delicate, this piece is a beautiful example of
Mariani's affinity for the allusion of softness rendered by the ancient Greeks. Paradoxical
in its essence, it challenges the reliability of perception while meditating on the impact
of contour on texture.
E d ua r d o
GUELFENBEIN
[ b. 1953 ]
36
Phobos, 2014
Signed and dated 'Guelf 2014' (on the reverse)
Acrylic on canvas, D: 80 cm - 31.5 in.
A Chilean artist based in Paris, Eduardo
Guelfenbein’s aesthetic is inspired by
his nomadic lifestyle and sensibilities.
After travelling through Italy and
Lake Varese, the artist settled in the
French capital where he paints his
thick, expressive and colourful pieces
enriched with the energy of South
America. Dominated by a commanding
presence of bold strokes and riveting
colour tones, Guelfenbein’s work is an
energetic blend of both pictorial and
sculptural properties.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
The eponymous Phobos references the inner, larger of the two satellites of Mars
discovered in 1877. Heavily cratered, the origin of name comes from one of the sons of
the Greek war god Ares, literally translating into ‘fear’. In fiery red, Guelfenbein’s Phobos
indeed evokes a sense of power, trepidation and the mystery of the cosmos.
Johanne
CORNO
[ b. 1952 ]
38
Blonde on taupe (Diptych), 2013
Signed ‘Corno’ (lower right)
Mixed media on canvas, 183 x 244 cm - 72 x 96 in.
Johanne Corno is a painter
from Montreal.
Painting since her early 20s, by the late
1980s she had established herself as
one of the most sought after painters in
Quebec before moving to New York City
in 1992. Known for painting
large-scale faces and torsos, Corno’s
bold use of colour and forceful
brushstrokes represent an innovative
style of portrait painting. Her work has
been exhibited extensively worldwide
and especially throughout Canada,
where she is widely revered.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Blonde on Taupe exudes the pulsating intensity and sensuality for which Corno is known.
At once intimate and detached, Blonde on Taupe teases the viewer by inspiring a sense of
exposed voyeurism. Caught in a moment of ecstasy, the painting boldly invites the viewer
into the privacy of female pleasure.
b
MR. BRAINWASH
[ b. 1966 ]
40
Chaplin & the Kid, 2012
Signed and numbered (on the reverse)
Stencil and mixed media on canvas, 91.5 x 61 cm - 36 x 24 in.
Mr. Brainwash is the street name used
provenance
by French filmmaker and breakout star
Artist’s studio
of the Banksy documentary
Exit Through the Gift Shop.
A modern legend, the story of MBW’s
rise to fame is an extraordinary
critique on Modern Art and the power
of association. While some speculate
the phenomenon of Mr. Brainwash
is an astute and elaborate prank, his
meteoric rise to success is a fascinating
illustration of the commercial art
market.
Public notes
Mr. Brainwash famously appropriates famous artistic and historic images in his work. In
this piece, the artist dissects a still image from Charlie Chaplin’s 1921 American silentcomedy film The Kid, a film still widely considered one of the greatest in cinematic history.
b
seen
[ b. 1961 ]
42
Wolverine, 2011
Signed and dated (on the reverse)
Stencil and spray paint on canvas, 162 x 130 cm - 64 x 51.2 in.
Born in 1961 in the Bronx, Richard
provenance
Mirando, known by his alias SEEN,
Artist’s studio
began painting in the halls and
corridors of the New York Subway
system in the 1970s.
Dubbed the “Godfather of Street
Art”, SEEN’s work has dominated the
genre and the streets of many major
European and American cities for the
last thirty years. In the 1980s he began
working on canvas and exhibiting
alongside the likes of Keith Haring,
Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Exhibited at the Cartier Foundation
and Paris’ Grand Palais in 2009, the
artist’s work is recognized worldwide
and exhibited in numerous venues in
London, San Francisco, Stockholm and
Hong Kong.
Public notes
Seen’s fascination with comics began as a boy, when his single-parent mother would
often put him in front of cartoons on the TV while she was working. Developing a passion
for the fictional strength and survivalist mentalities of Marvel and DC Comics’ most
famous superheroes, he has since painted numerous comic books heroes that have
been immortalized on the silver screen. Wolverine, the Marvel Comics creation depicted
here, is a mutant possessing enhanced physical capabilities and animal-keen senses.
44
modern
art
Ro din
Raoul Dufy
Pa blo Picasso
Sa lva dor Da lÍ
Hen r i Matisse
Ma r c Ch agall
Joa n MirÓ
Alexa n der Cal d e r
Jea n Dubuffe t
Ber na r d Buffe t
An dr é Brasilie r
Arman
Fer na n do Bote ro
Auguste
Aug u s t e
ro di n
[ 1840 - 1917 ]
46
Main de Jean de Fiennes pour les Bourgeois de Calais
Signed and numbered ‘1’ on the base
Bronze, edition numbered '1', 31.5 x 15 x 13.6 cm - 12.4 x 5.9 x 5.3 in.
Rodin is considered one of the most
influential and prolific sculptors
of the 20th century.
A progenitor of modern sculpture,
Rodin took a traditional, craftsmanlike approach to his work motivated for
a desire for academic recognition. A
gifted sculptor, Rodin revolutionized the
form by emphasizing fragmentation,
rejecting idealism and portraying
his subjects as they truly appeared.
Criticized in his lifetime for clashing
with the decorative, thematic sculptural
tradition at the time, Rodin’s most
original works celebrated individual
physicality and character. His 1890 work
The Thinker remains one of the most
recognized works of sculpture of all
time.
provenance
Milton J. Wigder collection
Certificate
The Cabinet d’expertise Art Conseil de Paris has confirmed the authenticity of this work
Public notes
Rodin spent much of his career exploring the power of expression in the figure, often
isolating parts of the body as artworks in their own right. The hand, fragmented and
suggestive, encompassed one of Rodin’s most extensive studies. Emerging from the
base of the stone, Main de Jean de Fiennes pour les bourgeois de Calais captures a hand
in a moment of tender acquiescence, haunting in the sensation of defeat it suggests.
rao u l
dufy
[ 1877 - 1953 ]
48
Marine, soleil couchant, circa 1924
Signed 'Raoul Dufy' (lower right)
Gouache on paper, 49.8 x 65 cm - 19.6 x 25.6 in.
Raoul Dufy was a French Fauvist
painter, book illustrator, draftsman
and furniture designer known for his
colourful and decorative style.
Born in Le Havre in 1877, Dufy began
taking evening classes in art in 1895,
when he was 18, and won a scholarship
five years later to study at the école
des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Profoundly
influenced by Claude Monet, Dufy’s
early work emphasized bright colours
and bold contours. A decade later,
after briefly flirting with Cubism, Dufy
adopted a more distinctive stenographic
style, marked by foreshortened
perspective and quickly, thinly applied
colour washes.
provenance
Galerie Louis Manteau, Brussels (1943)
Private collection (acquired in the 1950s)
Exhibited
Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Dufy dans les collections belges, 1943
Literature
This work will be included in the supplément du Catalogue raisonné des Aquarelles,
Gouaches et Pastels de Raoul Dufy being prepared by Fanny Guillon-Laffaille
Certificate
Fanny Guillon-Laffaille has confirmed the authenticity of this work
Public notes
Dufy’s cheerful watercolour depicts the bourgeois lifestyle of his period, including yachting
scenes, views of the French Riviera and elegant parties. The optimistic and decorative
nature of his works reveal the artist’s keen eye for design and spatial construction, an
art he mastered alongside various creative pursuits. This piece, painted in the late 1920s,
marked Dufy’s first years as an internationally recognized artist.
pa bl o
p i ca s s o
[ 1881 - 1973 ]
50
Tête de faune, 14 april 1958
Signed and dated 'Picasso 14.4.58.' (lower right)
Coloured wax crayons on paper, 32.8 x 25.7 cm - 12.9 x 10.1 in.
Born in Málaga in 1881, Pablo Picasso
is one of the most widely celebrated
modern artists in the world.
Painter, sculptor, engraver and
ceramist, he spent most of his career in
France developing and experimenting
with styles and movements that
contributed significantly to revolutionary
developments in 20th century art.
Picasso is known for co-founding,
together with Georges Braque and
Juan Gris, the Cubist movement, which
sought to deconstruct objects into
two-dimensional geometric shapes.
An extraordinarily talented painter,
Picasso’s most revered works include
sensual portraits of his muses as seen
in the 1907 The Young Ladies of Avignon,
and the portrayal of the battle of
Guernica in the large-scale painting of
the same name. Remaining politically
neutral throughout World War I, the
Spanish Civil War and World War II,
in 1944 Picasso joined the French
Communist Party and remained a loyal,
if often controversial, member until his
death.
provenance
Galerie Raymonde Cazenave, Paris
Spiro Skyrus, Los Angeles
Private collection (acquired from the above, 1975)
Certificate
Claude Ruiz-Picasso has confirmed the authenticity of this work
Public notes
Picasso’s works developed in tandem with the historical avant-garde yet he fearlessly
reinvented new styles throughout the seven decades of his career. In this work, the head
of a faun is depicted in a dazzle of colour, spilling over the borders of the page. The
work is an example of Picasso’s interest in metamorphosis and mythology, subjects that
preoccupied him from an early stage in his career. In Roman mythology, the half-man,
half-goat creature is capable of guiding humans who are or lost or in need.
salvador
dalÍ
[ 1904 - 1989 ]
52
Birdman, 1971-1981
Signed and numbered (on the base)
Bronze, edition of 350 + 35 EA, 27 x 7 x 7 cm - 10.6 x 2.8 x 2.8 in.
Born in Figueras in 1904, Salvador Dalí
provenance
is one of the most celebrated painters
Private collection
of all time.
In 1926, after completing his studies
at Madrid’s Escuela de Bellas Artes,
Dalí moved to Paris where he met
Pablo Picasso, Paul Eluard and André
Breton. Quickly intrigued by the
Surrealist movement, Dalí developed
a highly technical and unusual style of
painting and sculpture that explored
visionary boundaries, ushering in a new
generation of imaginative expression.
Alongside his successful artistic career,
Dalí’s private life reached veritable cult
status, with two museums inaugurated
in his name during his lifetime the
Salvador Dalí Museum in the United
States and the Dalí Museo-Teatro
in Figueras.
Public notes
Dalí’s Birdman figure derives from ancient Egyptian mythology. The figure appears
as Horus, a god with the body of a man and the head of a falcon. First appearing in
Dalí’s oeuvre in 1947, the half-bird, half-man imagery challenges the reliability of our
perception of man. Dalí’s inclusion of draperies on the creature’s figure emphasizes
modern man’s dependence on material possessions and accouterments.
henri
m at is s e
[ 1869 - 1954 ]
54
Étude de nu, visage couvert, 1927
Signed ‘H Matisse’ (lower left)
Pencil on paper, 27.6 x 37.8 cm - 10.9 x 14.9 in.
Born in 1869, Henri Matisse was a
provenance
French draughtsman, printmaker,
Pierre Matisse, New York, by descent from the artist
Private collection (acquired by descent from the above)
painter and sculptor, widely regarded
as one of the most revolutionary plastic
artists of the 20th century together with
Picasso and Duchamp.
A master of expression in colour
and drawing, his body of work has
situated him as a leading figure in
Modern Art. Henri Matisse studied
law before attending the Paris école
des Beaux-Arts, and in 1905 at the
Salon d’Automne the artist was given
nickname “fauve” (wild beast), later
leading the artistic movement of the
same name. In 1941 Matisse was
diagnosed with abdominal cancer that
left him bed bound; a tragedy that led
to brilliant final chapter of his career
through the medium of cut outs and
decoupage.
Certificate
Wanda de Guébriant has confirmed the authenticity of this work
Public notes
While the artist’s stylistic innovations bore influence on every subsequent movement in
art history, Matisse is perhaps most famous for his brilliant use of colour and elegance
of line in his draftsmanship. étude de nu, visage couvert is a particularly graceful example
of Matisse’s work on paper. Communicating the atmosphere of beauty and sensuality for
which he is most recognized, Matisse’s early nude studies demonstrates the fluidity and
ease with which the artist brings to life his drawings.
marc
chag a l l
[ 1887 - 1985 ]
56
La famille au village, circa 1978
Stamped with the signature ‘Marc Chagall’ (lower right)
Pencil on paper, 68.5 x 58 cm - 27 x 22.8 in.
Born in Russia to Jewish parents,
provenance
Chagall spent his painting career
Private collection, Switzerland
developing his personal style through
constant experimentation with genres,
ideas and trends.
Flirting with Fauvism, Cubism and
Surrealism, Chagall remained separate
from conventions with his distinctive
colour pallette and fantastical
iconography. Chagall’s early years
were spent in St. Petersburg and
Paris, developing his artistic style and
distinguishing himself from the Cubist
forms in the works of French artists.
He returned to Moscow in his late 20s
before returning to France in 1923
and joining the burgeoning movement
of writers, artists and musicians
migrating west at the time. Chagall
drew inspiration from his childhood
in the pastoral countryside, from his
Jewish culture, Russian folklore, the
Bible, and his love for his wife Vava.
The Musée National Marc Chagall in
Nice was inaugurated in 1973, and
retrospectives of his work have been
held in major museums worldwide
including the Musée du Luxembourg in
Paris; the Jewish Museum of New York;
the Tate Modern in London; the MoMA,
New York and the Grand Palais in Paris.
Certificate
The Comité Marc Chagall has confirmed the authenticity of this work
David Mc Neil (son of the artist) has confirmed the authenticity of this work
Public notes
Chagall’s black and white sketch La Famille au village demonstrates the artist’s lifelong
nostalgia for the naivety and simplicity of his Russian hometown. In this peaceful image
of a loving young family Chagall succeeds in conjuring the beauty and affection that
resonates through his illustrious oeuvre.
j oan
mirÓ
[ 1893 - 1983 ]
58
Les Essències de la Terra, 1968
Signed 'Miró' (lower right)
Brush and ink over lithograph on Japan paper, 50 x 36 cm - 19.7 x 14.2 in.
Joan Miró was a Catalan painter,
sculptor and ceramist internationally
acclaimed for his distinctly surrealist
and childlike technique.
Initially studying business as well as
art, Miró left the business world after
suffering a nervous breakdown. His
first solo exhibition in 1918 in Barcelona
was ridiculed by the art elite, drawing
him to the more liberal arts community
gathering in Montparnasse at the time.
In 1920 he settled in Paris where he
finished a number of key pieces in his
early style, establishing himself as a
painter with distinct accomplishment in
depicting the essence of Catalonia. Four
years later Miró joined the Surrealist
group where he developed his signature
style of flattened planes and sharp
lines. A significant influence on the
American Abstract Expressionism,
Miró’s oeuvre holds an essential place
in the development of late
20th century art.
provenance
Ediciones Poligrafa, Barcelona
Private collection, Spain
Literature
Joan Teixidor, Joan Miró, Lithographs, 1964-1969, vol. III, No. 578, ill. of the lithograph
p. 165
Certificate
ADOM (Association pour la Défense de l'œuvre de Joan Miró) has confirmed the authenticity
of this work
Public notes
Using a language of symbols reflecting a personal sense of freedom and energy, Miró's
works trace one of the most turbulent periods on Modern European history. His abstract
paintings from the 1960s and 1970s, seen here in Les Essències de la Terra, mark a period
of fascination with the natural world. In the centre of the work are images that recall cave
drawings or the doodles of children. Cutting across the surface of the work are black
stripes that lend a degree of violence characteristic of his mature work. The present
piece is one of eight hand-painted examples by the artist executed on Japanese paper
in 1968.
a lex a n d e r
ca l de r
[ 1898 - 1976 ]
60
Untitled, 1953
Signed and dated ‘Calder 53 ‘ (lower right)
Gouache on paper, 48.3 x 63.5 cm - 19 x 25 in.
Calder was born in 1898 in
Philadelphia, the son of well-known
sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder and
portrait painter Nanette Calder.
After obtaining his mechanical
engineering degree from the Stevens
Institute of Technology, Calder worked
in various jobs before enrolling at
the Art Students League in New York
City in 1923. During his college years
Calder worked as an illustrator for
the National Police Gazette. In 1926 he
moved to Paris, established a studio in
Montparnasse and began his Cirque de
Calder project, a miniature circus that
soon became popular with the Parisian
avant-garde and marked the beginning
of his interest in wire sculpture
and Kinetic Art. Marchel Duchamp
would ultimately dub Calder’s kinetic
sculptures as “mobiles”.
Today Calder is celebrated for his
contribution to Kinetic Art as his public
sculptures continued to be enjoyed
across the globe.
provenance
Private collection, Rome (gift of the artist in 1968)
Private collection (acquired by descent)
Certificate
This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under the
reference No. A18039
Public notes
Calder created a series of paintings in gouache during a yearlong stay in Aix-en-Provence
in 1953 in parallel to his sculptural practice. Painting quickly, the gouache allowed Calder
to quickly translate the vocabulary of sculpture into something more immediate, using
the angular figuratism as inspiration for later metal works. Presenting a synthesis of
geometric forms with more representational subjects, such as the animals in this piece,
Calder’s lines convey the simple delights of nature and the spontaneous impressions it
evokes.
jean
dubuffet
[ 1901 - 1985 ]
62
Arabe et palmiers sous le soleil, 1948
Signed and dated ‘J. Dubuffet 48’ (lower right)
Coloured wax crayons on paper, 23.5 x 32 cm - 9.3 x 12.6 in.
Born in Le Havre in 1901,
Jean Dubuffet was a self-taught
painter, lithographer and writer.
He is considered the founding
father of the Art Brut, a collection of
spontaneous works made by outsiders
of the art world such as the mentally ill
and children.
Doubting the value of art and culture,
Dubuffet made two major attempts
to abort his painting career until his
first solo exhibition at the Galerie René
Drouin in 1942. Embracing the idea of
“low art” to express what he believed
to be a more authentic approach to
creation, Dubuffet was and remains one
of the most criticized and admired postwar French artists in history. His oeuvre
incudes paintings, collages, sculptures,
monuments, sound recordings and
philosophical essays, perhaps the
most notable being his L'Hourloupe
style developed from a chance doodle
while on the telephone. Retrospectives
of his work have been held in the
Guggenheim Museum in New York; the
Museum of Modern Art, New York; the
Tate Gallery, London; and the Palazzo
Grassi, Venice.
provenance
Noah Goldowsky Gallery, New York
Sale: Sotheby’s, New York, 12 Nov. 1988, lot 171
Sale: Sotheby’s, London, 8 Feb. 2007, lot 139
Private collection, London
Literature
Max Loreau, Catalogue des travaux de Jean Dubuffet, Fascicule IV : Roses d’Allah, clowns
du désert, Les Éditions de Minuit, Paris, 1967, No. 167, ill. p. 95
Public notes
During the 1940s and 1950s Dubuffet advocated a nihilistic anti-culturalism prompted by
war-ravaged Europe. He arranged his first Art Brut exhibition in 1947, collecting works
made by children and mentally ill patients in a declarative rejection of traditional art
forms. In Arabe et palmiers sous le soleil Dubuffet emulates this approach by relying on
the inner world of the creative mind. In perfunctory lines of coloured wax and crayons
on paper, Dubuffet evokes a youthfully pure and unencumbered creative spirit, relying
on intuition and movement rather than traditional institution. This work celebrates what
Dubuffet called ‘the values of savagery: instinct, passion, mood, violence, [and] madness.’
B e r na r d
BUFFE T
[ 1928 - 1999 ]
64
l'église, 1971
Signed ‘Bernard Buffet’ (on top left)
Oil on canvas, 65 x 81 cm - 25.6 x 31.9 in.
Bernard Buffet was a well-known
Expressionist painter and member of
the anti-Abstract Art group
L’Homme témoin.
Born in Paris in 1928, Buffet was only
fifteen when he commenced his studies
at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts.
His restricted palette, melancholy
characters and unique sketching style
using thick, angular stroked have made
him one of the most recognizable
painters of the 20th century. A prolific
painter, Buffet’s legacy remains one
of public admiration and institutional
scorn, though his distinct style is
inarguable in influence and has inspired
posthumous critical acclaim. In 1973,
the Bernard Buffet Museum was
inaugurated in Japan. Ever since, the
artist’s work has been featured in the
most prestigious Modern Art collections
around the world including the MoMA,
New York, the Musée d'Art Moderne,
Paris and the Tretiakov Gallerie in
Moscow.
provenance
Galerie Maurice Garnier
Public notes
Created in the late period of the artist’s life, this painting demonstrates Buffet’s connection
to the Miserabilist Expressionism movement and the technique that hailed him a genius
by many of his admirers. Dry, strong and poignant, this piece is especially remarkable
for its vibrant splashes of red and green, which add to a sense of distance and nostalgia.
a ndr é
BRASILIER
[ b. 1929 ]
66
Grand ciel rose, 2013
Signed ‘André Brasilier’ (lower right)
Oil on canvas, 65 x 81 cm - 25.6 x 31.9 in.
André Brasilier was born into an
provenance
artistic family in Saumur, France
Artist’s studio
in 1929.
Possessing a natural inclination for
painting at an early age, at 20 he went
to Paris to study at the École des
Beaux-Arts. While his works reflect the
influences of Expressionist artists and
Japanese prints, Brasilier has retained
a personal style of schematized
nature and imagery that makes
him anomaly in the contemporary
Zeitgeist. His subdued works often
feature themes and motifs of horses,
nature, music and women, provocative
in their timelessness and emotional
subjectivity.
Public notes
Set against the most simplistic and romantic background, Grand ciel rose embodies the
artist’s effortlessness in transporting the viewer into surreal landscapes, lightening the
soul with dreamy infusions of figures set in modest hues of colour and shape. Rather
than try to imitate form, Grand ciel rose expresses the emotion that lies at the core of
human intimacy and experience.
i
AR M AN
[ 1928 - 2005 ]
68
Violon cubiste
Signed 'Arman' (on top)
Bronze, edition of 100, 71 x 20 x 16 cm - 28 x 7.9 x 6.3 in.
A French-born American artist,
provenance
Armand Pierre Fernandez is best
Private collection
known for his accumulations and
recompositions of objects and his
inclusion in the Nouveau Réalisme
group founded by Pierre Restany
in 1960.
He learned oil painting and photography
from his father before receiving a
Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and
mathematics at the école des BeauxArts in Nice. Friends with Yves Klein,
Arman moved to Paris in his early
20s to continue his studies in art at
the école du Louvre in Paris. From
1962 to 1969 he developed his most
recognizable style of accumulations
by arranging common and identical
objects into polyester castings. He
moved to New York City in 1961
and began working on large public
sculptures, many of which have been
collected by prestigious public and
private institutions worldwide.
Public notes
During his 1961 debut in the United States Arman began exploring the act of creation
through destruction. The series “Coupes” featured objects with a previously strong
identity, such as musical instruments, clocks and furniture, that the artist burned,
smashed and rearranged onto canvas. His most recognizable works from this series
were his violins and saxophones; instruments he found had the most distinctive visual
and auditory expressions.
Fernando
BOT ERO
[ b. 1932 ]
70
Reclining woman
Signed 'Botero' (on the base)
Marble, unique piece, 19.1 x 52.1 x 23.5 cm - 7.5 x 20.5 x 9.2 in.
With a uniquely recognizable style
of distorted proportions and jocular
imagery, Fernando Botero is the most
prominent Latin American artist
in the world.
He was only 16 years old when his
drawings were first published in one
of the most popular newspapers in
Medellín, and he has since become a
celebrated critic and documentarian
of the Colombian regime, religion,
bullfighting, family life and circus
culture in his work. His signature
style, “Boterismo”, depicting figures
in exaggerated volume in situational
portraiture, has made him one of the
world’s most recognizable living artists.
provenance
Private collection, Miami
Public notes
Botero’s Reclining Woman sculpture displays a declining naked woman in the artist’s
signature voluptuousness, as a symbol of the sleeping soul. Illustrating the sensuality,
beauty and fertility of the woman, Reclining Woman conveys a volume and presence
marked by poised elegance.
72
PHOTOGRAPHy
ALAOUI & Marco GUERRA
Youssef NABIL
Gér a r d RANCINAN
guy le baube
Yasmina
Yas m ina
ALAOUI
[ b. 1977 ]
&
Marco
GUERRA
[ b. 1965 ]
74
Yasco 48, 2009
Signed 'Yasmina & Guerra' (on the reverse)
Photography, unique piece, 56 x 173 cm - 22 x 68 in.
Creatively collaborating since 2005,
Chilean photographer Marco Guerra
and Moroccan artist Yasmina Alaoui
are exhibited and collected together
internationally.
Each piece begins with a black and
white nude photograph by Guerra,
which is then added to with layers
of complex, henna-inspired patterns
painted on by Alaoui. Captivating
and sculptural, the artists’ individual
touches fuse into a delicate
communication of composition, form
and colour.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
From their collaborative series 1001 Dreams, Yasco 48 reveals an intricate illusion of
painting and portraiture that tantalizes the viewer’s perception. Alaoui adorns Guerra’s
stirring photograph with henna, a 5,000-year-old art form originating from Africa and the
Middle East. A popular adornment for both the rich and the poor, who could not afford
jewellery, henna has since been adopted by cultures all over the world as temporary,
spiritual body decoration. Captured here, the ancient, multicultural art form becomes a
symbol of universal beauty and acceptance.
Yo u s s e f
NABIL
[ b. 1972 ]
76
Amani, Cairo, 1993
Signed and dated 'Youssef Nabil Cairo 1993' (on the reverse)
Hand-coloured gelatine silver print, edition of 10, 38 x 25 cm - 15 x 9.8 in.
An Egyptian artist and photographer,
Nabil began his photographic
career after meeting the American
photographer David LaChapelle in
Cairo in the early 1990s.
In 1997 the artist moved to Paris where
he worked with acclaimed fashion
photographer Mario Testino, followed
shortly by his first solo exhibition in
Cairo. A keen and tender observer,
Nabil’s distinct technique of handcoloured gelatin silver prints have
captured artist superstars such as
Tracey Emin, Marina Abramovic´ and
Catherine Deneuve. His works have
been exhibited in numerous prestigious
venues worldwide. In 2003 he was
awarded the Seydou Keita Prize in the
Biennial of African Photography.
Since 2006 he has been living and
working in New York.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Inspired by an old friend named Amani with whom Nabil went to school in Cairo, Amani
tells the story of a mysterious woman hiding from people on the roof of an old house
next to cemetery, stealing laundry and jumping from one rooftop to the next. Writing and
directing the scene for which Amani acted, Nabil recalls this project to be the first to
inspire his career as an artist.
Gérard
RANCINAN
[ b. 1953 ]
78
Batman family (Girls), 2011
Signed 'Gérard Rancinan' (on the reverse)
Argentic print mounted on Plexiglas in artist’s frame, edition of 8 + 4 EA, 125 x 180 cm - 49.2 x 70.9 in.
Born in 1953 near Bordeaux, Gérard
Rancinan began work at the Sygma
News Agency in 1973 before becoming
an independent photographer in 1989.
Rancinan’s work explores the excesses
and paradoxes of modern society, with
a unique allegorical and theatrical style.
Internationally known, the artist’s work
is exhibited in museums around the
globe: in Paris at the Musée des Arts
et Métiers and the Palais de Tokyo, but
also in Barcelona, Milan, Bratislava and
New York. Chosen to represent France
at the 50th anniversary of the recognition
of China, the entire series comprising
his Trilogy of the Moderns was exhibited
at the Himalaya Contemporary Art
Museum of Shanghai, 2014.
provenance
Artist’s studio
certificate
Gérard Rancinan has confirmed the authenticity of this work
Public notes
Rancinan’s staged photographs are bold testimonies of our time. Exhaustively composed,
they calculatingly highlight the subtleties and exaggerations of contemporary society.
Batman Family (Girls) sees the continuation of a series following the misadventures of
this masked, fictional family. Its stark monochromatic hue and glossy finish remove it
from the narrative of realism, yet its facetious undertones are artfully constructed in this
familiar, if not eccentric, familial narrative.
guy
LE BAUBE
[ b. 1944 ]
80
Donald Duck, 1990
Signed 'Guy Le Baube' (on the reverse)
Photography, edition of 20, 100 x 132 cm - 39.4 x 52 in.
Guy Le Baube is an award-winning
provenance
French photographer born in Paris
Artist’s studio
in 1944.
In 1976 he moved to New York to pursue
fashion and editorial photography,
becoming highly acclaimed for his
work in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle
and Marie Claire, among others. In
the early 1990’s Le Baube published
a private collection of photographs
that won critical acclaim for their
allegorical meaning masked by playful
composition. A master photographer,
his creative narratives are intimate,
touching and witty portrayals of classic
beauty.
Public notes
Guy Le Baube’s focus on the female form captures a nuanced precision evocative of both
fashion photography and Surrealism. Playful and witty, Le Baube’s nude series, like this
pieces from the 1990s, address an awareness of the darker side of female objectification
in fashion.
82
SCULPTURES
INSTALLATIONS
TANAVOLI
Mi k i GUtié RREZ
Seo Yo ung-De o k
Maur o Co rda
Ni c ola Ro sini Di Sant i
Pi er r e Matt e r
Hi r o Ando
Ri c ha r d Orl inski
Laur en c e Je nke l l
Pa rv i z
Pa rv i z
TANAVOLI
[ b. 1937 ]
84
Black Heech, 2007
Signed and dated 'Parviz 07' (on the base)
Fiberglass, edition of 25, H: 65 cm - 25.6 in.
A preeminent Iranian artist, scholar
and teacher, Parviz Tanavoli is
considered Iran’s first significant
contemporary sculptor.
Born in 1937, Tanavoli is part of a
group of artists of the Saqqakheneh
movement, a style developed in the
1960s that produced an intermediary
art mixing Western and Persian
artistic conventions. Accredited with a
radically broad scope both in scholar
and artistry, Tanavoli’s expansive
oeuvre represents both a fervor and
irreverence for formal Iranian culture,
giving his works a relevance that
transcends specific cultural context.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Tanavoli’s signature ‘heech’ series, meaning ‘nil’ or ‘nothing’ in Parsi, reflects the artist’s
intellectual objection to a reckless crossover between Persian and Western artistic
practices. Believing his ‘heech’ statues to be symbols of life in Iranian mysticism,
Tanavoli claims his inspiration derived form the desire to provide poetry with the threedimensionality it lacked as a purely lingual entity.
m iki
GUtI é RREZ
[ b. 1956 ]
86
¡Chiqui Ups! 2011
Signed 'Miki' (on the base)
Bronze, edition of 8, 94 x 22 x 22 cm - 37 x 8.7 x 8.7 in.
Miki Gutiérrez is an abstract sculptor
based in Mexico.
An experimental artist with a
background in marketing, jewelry
design and production, Gutiérrez
dedicated himself wholly to artistic
pursuits at the relatively late age of
fifty. Working with clay to produce
models before casting them in bronze,
Gutiérrez sculptures play with the
boundaries of space, volume and
movement in reference to the life’s
universal cyclicality.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
In polished, smooth lines and basic circular shapes, this sculpture speaks to the point
of harmony at the core of Guiterrez’s work. Solemn and simple, ¡Chiqui Ups! expresses
a visible sense of rhythm and unity of composition. Its form is reminiscent of the
complementary interconnectedness of the yin-yang, forming a dynamic system of duality
and interaction.
SEO
YOUNG - DEOK
[ b. 1983 ]
88
Anguish 11, 2013
Signed (on the outer left side leg)
Iron chains, edition of 5, 80 x 60 x 75 cm - 31.5 x 23.6 x 29.5 in.
Contemporary Korean artist
Seo Young-Deok is a metal smith and
sculptor.
He graduated from the Environmental
Sculpture department of the University
of Seoul in 2008. Seo Young-Deok
explores the relationship between
humans and the modern environment
through the creative repurposing
of iron chains – a material that has
been critical to the development
of the modern world and Korea’s
manufacturing industry. Inspired by
his own rural upbringing in contrast to
his urban adult life, he uses chains to
question the industrialization of labour
that has become synonymous with
today’s human condition. While being
artistically repurposed, his meticulous
manipulation of the iron chains expose
the monotony and repetition of nature
and material.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Anguish 11 is a tender and poignant rendering of the emotional intricacy of the human
condition. With deep empathy and sensitivity, Seo Young-Deok gives birth to his nude
sculptures through an intense and complicated process of welding chain. Woven stitch
by stitch, the anguished woman in this piece is a spiritual exploration of emancipation
from the limitations of the flesh.
Mau r o
CORDA
[ b. 1960 ]
90
Outrage, 2011
Signed 'Corda' (on the base)
Cast iron, edition of 8, 173 x 100 x 64 cm - 68.1 x 39.4 x 25.2 in.
Born in 1960 in the foothills of the
Pyrénées, Mauro Corda showed a talent
for sculpting at a very early age.
At only 15, he was admitted to the école
des Beaux-Arts de Reims and later
went on to finish his studies in Paris.
Above all a sculptor of bodies, Corda
uses a rich variety of materials such as
bronze, aluminium, iron, stainless and
polished steel and glass for his life-size
creations. Corda’s art of shaping and
modeling allows him to capture every
sinew of his subjects, breathing life into
his works while giving them a sense of
quasi-invincibility.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Outrage adheres to a classic representation of the figure altered by unexpected,
modernist elements. Corda’s sensitivity to both traditional and modernist forms adds an
enigmatic and timelessly poetic quality to his work, seen most viscerally in this series.
nico l a
ROSINI DI SANTI
[ b. 1959 ]
92
Variations par trois, 2005
Signed ‘Nicola Rosini’ (on the base)
Bronze, edition of 8, H: 86 cm - 33.9 in.
Nicola Rosini Di Santi is a French
sculptor and painter.
In 2010 the artist and his wife opened
the Di Santi Art Gallery in the heart
of the French Riviera to showcase the
artist’s broad collection of metal and
glass sculptures.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
In fluid lines and delicate form, Variations par trois is a lovely example of Rosini’s craft.
Spartan and elegant, this piece achieves a grace of technique and aesthetic inspired
by the harmony in movement. A continuous series, Variations par trois relates to the
number of acrobats in the sculpture. With each new variation Rosini Di Santi adds a new
character to create an ever-evolving playground with no definitive end.
pie r r e
M ATT ER
[ b. 1964 ]
94
Big Meca Ray, 2013
Signed (on the back)
Bronze and stainless steel, unique piece, 183 x 162 x 80 cm - 72 x 63.8 x 31.5 in.
Born in France in 1964, Pierre Matter’s
works have been exhibited worldwide,
including the Museum of Contemporary
Art in Shanghai, the Museum of
Modern Art in Nanjing, and St’Art in
Strasbourg, France.
His ability to escape into his own
uniquely constructed sphere of creation
and contemplation are boundless.
Skilled in oil and watercolour paintings,
Matter’s current medium focuses
on the combination of organic and
mechanical matter that reflect the
robotic evolution of life-forms and
objects. Exploring the integral nature
of technology in the modern human
lifestyle, Matter’s poignant sculptures
are intricate explorations of the tangibly
surreal.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Matter’s Big Meca Ray is an example of the artist’s infatuation with the marriage between
the mechanical and the organic. Sensitive to the pervasive nature of technology, Matter’s
sculptures integrate accessories of the industrial world into the forms of animals as a
critique on the evolution of the cyber organism accelerated by man.
h ir o
ANDO
[ b. 1973 ]
96
Samourai Cat Black, 2009
Signed 'Hiro Hando' (on the right foot) and dated 'Dec. 2009' (on the left foot)
Resin, edition of 12, H: 150 cm - 59.1 in.
Hiro Ando is a Japanese artist born on
the island of Shikoku in 1973.
He began his career in the 1990s as
an illustrator and has since evolved
into digital art, painting and sculpture,
often applying various mediums to his
work. In 2005 he founded the studio
Crazy Noodles with the goal to unite
and promote young Japanese artists in
the international art scene. A neopop artist, Ando’s work expresses a
particular vision of popular culture that
combines the urban flux of Tokyo life
with the tradition of Japanese art.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Inspired by the Pop Art Surrealism of Takashi Murakami and the Japanese neo-pop
movement, Samourai Cat Black investigates a modernist approach to the anime, manga,
samurai and kawaii culture born out of traditional and contemporary Japan. Fusing codes
of Japanese society with a modern, urbanized west, Samourai Cat Black symbolizes the
unusual fetishisms of an idiosyncratic culture.
rich a r d
ORLINSKI
[ b. 1966 ]
98
Wild Red Kong With Barrel, 2011
Signed and numbered ‘Orlinski’ (on the inside left leg)
Resin, edition of 8, H: 110 cm - 43.3 in.
Richard Orlinski was born in 1966
in Paris. His artworks are designed
according to his concept of "Born
Wild", a contemporary style intended to
appeal to a wide audience,
especially children.
His work is made with resin and
aluminium, but he often utilised more
archaic materials such as marble,
stone and bronze. In 2010 Orlinski was
the second best-selling contemporary
French artist in France by Art Price, and
two of his artworks were among the
10 highest in auction in 2011. He has
since been exhibited extensively in
galleries and fairs throughout the
world.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Wild Red Kong With Barrel is an apt example of Orlinski’s ‘Born Wild’ philosophy. The
piece is inspired by the series of Donkey Kong video games developed in Japan in the
1980s. Including a hallmark of the Donkey Kong series in the form of the barrel, used by
the fictional character as a weapon, vehicle, furniture and home, Orlinski touches upon
both the familiarity and popularity of the character and the ingenuity it represents.
L au r e n c e
J ENKELL
[ b. 1965 ]
100
Bonbon bleu, 2013
Signed and dated 'Jenkell 2013' (on the bottom of the candy)
Plexiglas, H: 80 cm - 31.5 in.
Born in Bourges, France, in 1965,
Laurence Jenkell is renowned
internationally for her candy
sculptures.
She studied at the École des
Beaux-Arts in Cannes, painting
composites, landscapes and portraits.
Later, she found inspiration in fashion
and industrial design, successfully
integrating contemporary consumerism
and industrial images and patterns into
her work. Her candy sculptures are
named “Bonbon wrapping” after the
distortion the medium undergoes in
her hands. As a result of her studying
of colour for so many years, Jenkell
now masters a large range of bright,
splendid and acidulous shades.
provenance
Artist’s studio
Public notes
Jenkell’s Plexiglas creations are a result of years of studying materials and technique.
In the spirit of Pop Art, these bonbons contain a childlike whimsicality that taps into
the imagination while insisting on the importance of innocence in creation. Used as a
powerful means of communication, Jenkell’s choice of colour becomes a quintessential
variant in her works. Bonbon Bleu boasts a vivid shade of blue – the natural colour for
water and sky, as well as traditionally a symbol of trust, serenity, loyalty and intelligence.
102
index
CONTEMPORAry art
54henri
6
56marc
reza
DERAKSHANI Garden Party Green, 2011
8Farhad
MOSHIRI Untitled, 1999
10Koorosh
12paul
SHISHEGARAN Untitled, 2011
ALEXIS Oum Kalsoum, 2010
58joan
matisse Étude de nu, visage couvert, 1927
chagall La famille au village, circa 1978
mirÓ Les Essències de la Terra, 1968
60alexander
62jean
dubuffet Arabe et palmiers sous le soleil, 1948
14david
MACH Sherene, 2010
64Bernard
16timur
D’VATZ Falcon, 2012
66andré
18Jean-Pierre
20Sylvain
22lita
ROC-ROUSSEY Apsara en vert et jaune bras levés, 2013
TREMBLAY Êtres de lumière intemporels (triptych), 2011
CABELLUT Hidden Dreams 19, 2014
24Philippe
PASQUA M12, 2011
26AntonIo
SEGUÍ Todos nerviosos, 2011
28Jean-François
30
LARRIEU Village en fête, 2014
ERNESTO Diamond Girls, 2009
32Damien
HIRST Diligam te Domine, 2009
34Umberto
MARIANI Senza titolo 4, 2014
36Eduardo
GUELFENBEIN Phobos, 2014
38Johanne
CORNO Blonde on T aupe (diptych), 2013
68
calder Untitled, 1953
BUFFET L'église, 1971
BRASILIER Grand ciel rose, 2013
ARMAN Violon cubiste
70Fernando
BOTERO Reclining woman
PHOTOGRAPHy
74Yasmina
ALAOUI & Marco GUERRA Yasco 48, 2009
76Youssef
NABIL Amani, Cairo, 1993
78Gérard
80guy
RANCINAN Batman family (Girls), 2011
LE BAUBE
Donald Duck, 1990
SCULPTURES / INSTALLATIONS
84Parviz
TANAVOLI Black Heech, 2007
40
MR . BRAINWASH Chaplin & the Kid, 2012
86miki
GUtIéRREZ ¡Chiqui Ups! 2011
42
seen Wolverine, 2011
88SEO
YOUNG-DEOK Anguish 11, 2013
modern art
46Auguste
rodin Main de Jean de Fiennes pour les Bourgeois de Calais
90Mauro
CORDA Outrage, 2011
92nicola
ROSINI DI SANTI Variations par trois, 2005
94pierre
MATTER Big Meca Ray, 2013
ANDO Samourai Cat Black, 2009
48raoul
dufy Marine, soleil couchant, circa 1924
96hiro
50pablo
picasso Tête de faune, 1958
98richard
52salvador
dalÍ Birdman, 1971-1981
ORLINSKI Wild Red Kong With Barrel, 2011
100Laurence
JENKELL Bonbon bleu, 2013
Foch 94 - Foch Avenue
Beirut Central District - Beirut, Lebanon
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