Francis Alÿs - New Now London Wednesday, December 6, 2023 | Phillips
  • Provenance

    Lisson Gallery, London
    Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2005

  • Exhibited

    Colchester, Art Exchange, Francis Alÿs: Seven Walks, 30 September - 23 November 2013 (another example exhibited)

  • Literature

    Coline Milliard, 'Francis Alÿs Walks', Art Monthly, No. 337, June 2010, pp. 2-4 (another example illustrated, p. 3)
    Nicolas Whybrow, Art and the City, London/New York, 2011, p. 58 (listed)

  • Artist Biography

    Francis Alÿs

    Belgian / Mexican • 1959

    Born 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.

    View More Works

87

The Nightwatch

screen, DVD player and DVD
film duration 17 minutes
screen 46.7 x 59.2 x 51 cm (18 3/8 x 23 1/4 x 20 1/8 in.)

Executed in 2004, this work is number 6 from edition of 10.

Estimate
£10,000 - 15,000 Ω♠

Sold for £20,320

Contact Specialist

Charlotte Gibbs
Associate Specialist, Head of New Now
+44 20 7901 7993
CGibbs@phillips.com
 

New Now

London Auction 6 December 2023