Provenance
Galerie Perrotin, Hong Kong
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Exhibited
Seoul, Galerie Perrotin, Bernard Frize: Tongue and Groove, 30 August - 21 October 2017
Catalogue Essay
Viscous brushstrokes of vibrant hues interweave in Leu, leaving no trace as to which mark met the canvas first. Seemingly opaque in its multilayered execution, yet simultaneously delicate with thinly applied paint – this present work is an arresting example of Bernard Frize’s abstract paintings. Working in a variety of materials and employing a multitude of techniques, the French visual contemporary artist is widely lauded for defying traditional notions associated with the medium. Industrial rather than figurative, and calculated rather than spontaneous, Frize’s paintings follow a strict set of choreographed conditions conceived by the artist prior to starting a series. Viewing the role of the creator as simply the developer of systems under which painting is reduced to the mere physical act, the artist’s practice is decidedly process-oriented and unconcerned with reaching a visual conclusion. Governed entirely by the materials themselves, a series is only completed when Frize feels the theory has been exhausted; however, drawing inspiration from Matisse who considered his own work his best inspiration, “a theory often leads [Frize] onto another theory, or another painting” (the artist quoted in Jennifer Sauer, “‘Bernard Frize is Beyond Abstraction”, CR Fashion Book, 22 April 2019, online). As curator Jean-Pierre Criqui noted of Frize’s practice, “The painting, then, is a consequence, a record rather than a goal the artist decided to achieve; it is the image of its own execution” (J. Criqui, ‘Bernard Frize: Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris’, Artforum, November 2003, p. 183).

Though Frize’s oeuvre bears similarities to that of his contemporaries working under movements and styles including Colour Field painting, Minimalism, Fluxus and Conceptual art – it occupies a unique position within the discourse of abstract painting. Ever evolving, Frize began his devoted experimentations with painting in the mid-1970s, at a time when many regarded the medium to be obsolete. Executed in 2015, the present work is thus a prime example of the artist’s mature practice: despite being devoid of conception, it is surprisingly complex with intriguing plays of colour and texture. With gestural motions of the brush making it impossible not to imagine the process happening in real-time, the canvas’s smooth plastic surface offers a curious juxtaposition. In combining synthetic resin with fluid acrylic paint, Frize consequently renders his brush marks flat, a style that has become a trademark of his practice.

Frize’s sophisticated practice has garnered international acclaim. He has presented solo exhibitions in key galleries and museums throughout his career: in the past two years this has included Galerie Perrotin at their Paris, New York and Tokyo locations (2019), the Centre Pompidou in Paris (2019), Simon Lee Gallery in London (2018), and Girimart Gallery in Istanbul (2018). Today, Frize’s works are also found in numerous public collections, including the Tate Gallery in London, MUMOK in Vienna, Museo Nacional Centro de Reina Sofia in Madrid, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Kunstmuseums in Basel and Zurich.

18

Bernard Frize

Leu

2015
signed, titled, numbered and dated '"LEU" 2015 034 Bernard FRIZE' on the overlap
acrylic and resin on canvas
160 x 140 cm. (62 7/8 x 55 1/8 in.)
Executed in 2015.

Estimate
HK$350,000 - 450,000
€37,000-47,600
$44,900-57,700

Sold for HK$1,500,000

Contact Specialist
Charlotte Raybaud
Head of Evening Sale, 20th Century & Contemporary Art

20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale

Hong Kong Auction 24 November 2019

1
Genieve Figgis
A Social Portrait
Estimate HK$120,000 - 180,000
Sold for HK$1,875,000
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2
MADSAKI
Untitled
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$3,000,000
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3
Henry Taylor
Her Name is Elle M
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 1,600,000
Sold for HK$1,875,000
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4
Alex Katz
Leigh
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,990,000
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5
Tomoo Gokita
Saucy Girl
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$2,500,000
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6
Zeng Fanzhi
Mask Series No. 1
Estimate HK$14,000,000 - 24,000,000
Sold for HK$19,350,000
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7
Liu Ye
She Isn't Afraid of Mondrian
Estimate HK$18,000,000 - 28,000,000
Sold for HK$26,550,000
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8
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Thermopolae
Estimate HK$26,000,000 - 38,000,000
Sold for HK$31,950,000
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9
Roy Lichtenstein
Mobile I
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$3,500,000
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10
Stanley Whitney
Winter Rap
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$2,875,000
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11
This lot is no longer available.
12
Zao Wou-Ki
29.05-31.10.68
Estimate HK$28,000,000 - 38,000,000
Sold for HK$32,550,000
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13
Chu Teh-Chun
No. 164
Estimate HK$6,000,000 - 8,000,000
Sold for HK$7,110,000
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14
Chu Teh-Chun
Le 30 mars 1982
Estimate HK$4,200,000 - 6,200,000
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15
Helen Frankenthaler
Scorpio
Estimate HK$7,500,000 - 9,500,000
Sold for HK$8,550,000
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16
Kazuo Shiraga
Zuisouhen
Estimate HK$8,000,000 - 12,000,000
Sold for HK$9,750,000
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17
Liang Yuanwei
Untitled 2013.14
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$1,250,000
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18
Bernard Frize
Leu
Estimate HK$350,000 - 450,000
Sold for HK$1,500,000
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19
Liu Wei
Beyond the Sky Limits
Estimate HK$800,000 - 1,000,000
Sold for HK$1,625,000
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20
Wang Guangle
Terrazzo No. 9
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
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21
Yue Minjun
Mushroom Cloud
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$2,375,000
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22
Takashi Murakami
Cherries
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,125,000
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23
KAWS
TALK BACK
Estimate HK$8,000,000 - 12,000,000
Sold for HK$7,590,000
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24
George Condo
The Great Gazoo
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 6,500,000
Sold for HK$5,550,000
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25
Takashi Murakami
And Then x 6 (Platinum & White: The Superflat Method)
Estimate HK$3,800,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$4,950,000
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26
Yoshitomo Nara
The Prototype of the Head of Morioka Pup
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$1,750,000
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27
Yayoi Kusama
Six Guests
Estimate HK$7,000,000 - 9,000,000
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28
Yayoi Kusama
INFINITY-NETS (GMBKA)
Estimate HK$6,000,000 - 8,000,000
Sold for HK$7,710,000
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29
Lynn Chadwick, R.A.
Pair of Sitting Figures 1
Estimate HK$800,000 - 1,200,000
Sold for HK$1,250,000
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30
This lot is no longer available.
31
Pat Steir
Summer Waterfall
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,250,000
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32
Eddie Martinez
Almost Lost #4
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$5,550,000
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33
Natee Utarit
King
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$2,750,000
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34
Handiwirman Saputra
Menahan 2
Estimate HK$1,400,000 - 2,000,000
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20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale

Hong Kong Auction 24 November 2019

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Provenance

Exhibited

Catalogue Essay

18

Bernard Frize

Leu

20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale

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