70
Francis Alÿs
Six works: Studies for Song for Lupita (from Le Temps du Sommeil)
- Estimate
- $30,000 - 50,000
$35,000
Lot Details
pencil and gouache on vellum
1998
each 11 x 9 in. (27.9 x 22.9 cm.)
(i) Signed, titled, numbered, inscribed and dated "Studies for Animation Temperance- out of 'le temps du sommeil' april 98 © F. Alÿs 144”; (ii) Numbered "145" lower right; (iii) Numbered "149 #1" lower right; (iv) Numbered "154 155" lower right; (v) Numbered "156" lower right; (vi) Numbered "159 160 161" lower right.
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Provenance
Literature
Francis Alÿs
Belgian / Mexican | 1959Born in Belgium, Francis Alÿs traveled to Mexico in 1986 as part of a French program to assist in the aftermath of the tragic 1985 earthquake, and has lived there ever since. Throughout his career, the artist has analyzed facets of everyday urban life using a variety of media including video, drawing, installation and public action. Sign Painting Project (1993-'97) is a prime example of the artist's interest in the sprawling urbanization of Mexico City. In this early series, Alÿs drew inspiration from professional Mexican sign painters (rotúlistas) who painted large billboard advertisements throughout the city. In response to these large colorful compositions, Alÿs employed a similar style in creating small-scale paintings of familiar objects and places. Alÿs asked various rotúlistas to copy and enlarge his paintings, displaying his work and that of the rotúlista side-by-side. This series, like many of Alÿs' other works, illustrates the artist's concerns with such themes as collaboration, banality and originality.
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