“I am trying to evolve my own language step by step.” Christian Rosa, 2014
Calling upon the traditions of art historical titans Kandinsky and Twombly, Christian Rosa’s paintings construct a pictorial universe that allows color and form to exist both independently and harmoniously. Working within the boundaries of his own physical actions, Rosa actively engages in the very act of painting, which he believes is a process of discovery containing both the construction and deconstruction of the pictorial narrative. By visually tracing his movements in front of the canvas, his paintings function like a physical and gestural language. In order to explore notions of painting and failure, Rosa’s work incorporates intentional mistakes as potential points of departure for further visual configurations. His expressive paintings stretch the boundaries of abstraction and encourage the viewer towards reflection.
The current work, Run Run Hide Hide, 2014, presents isolated elements and shapes of primary color floating against a raw canvas background. Although minimal in appearance, the various markings on the canvas, such as lines, squares, spots and scribbles still suggest the beginning of some kind of figuration. In the present lot, wisps of yellow, dollops of blue, and streaks of white dance across the picture plane with whimsy and spontaneity, leaving merely a trace of their game of hide and seek. They also become the elements for further engagement and meditation. Rosa uses the textural qualities of the diverse materials to encourage emotional responses in the viewer. By creating numerous planes of energy on the canvas, he develops different narratives with endless possibilities – each deeply personal to the viewer.
2014 oil stick, oil paint, pencil, resin, charcoal on canvas 78 3/4 x 94 3/8 in. (200 x 239.7 cm) Signed and dated "Christian Rosa 2014" twice along the overlap.
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Sold for $161,000
Contact Specialist Amanda Stoffel
Head of Evening Sale
New York
+ 1 212 940 1261
