Herman Makkink - New Now New York Tuesday, September 19, 2017 | Phillips
  • Description

    Designed in 1970, Herman Makkink’s Christ Unlimited is a playful reconstruction of a crucified Christ statuette in a dancing position from The Butcher’s Dance, a popular Balkan and Middle Eastern group folk dance. Stanley Kubrick visited Dutch artist Herman Makkink and his brother Cornelis in their London studio at the S.P.A.C.E. complex while looking for props for his upcoming movie, A Clockwork Orange (1971), and chose nine paintings from Cornelis and two sculpture pieces from Herman. Four of the nine Christ Unlimited figures appear in Alex’s bedroom, and according to Makkink, Kubrick likely chose them for their futuristic aesthetic. Later mass produced by Medicom Toy, Japan, the present work is from the original edition of nine.

  • Provenance

    Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

  • Literature

    David Briers (ed.), Pages, International Magazine of the Arts, no. 1, Autumn 1970 (illustrated, front cover)
    Christian Anderson-Ramshall, "Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange: Brutalism in exteriors, interiors and a quilt." Film and Furniture, June 4, 2015, online

186

Three works: (i-iii) Christ Unlimited

(i) numbered "1" on the underside of the right foot
(ii) numbered "3" on the underside of the right foot
(iii) numbered "5" on the underside of the right foot

painted polyester and fiberglass
each 20 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 8 in. (52.1 x 24.1 x 20.3 cm.)
(i) Executed in 1970, this work is number 1 from an edition of 9.
(ii) Executed in 1970, this work is number 3 from an edition of 9.
(iii) Executed in 1970, this work is number 5 from an edition of 9.

Estimate
$8,000 - 12,000 

Sold for $20,000

Contact Specialist
Rebekah Bowling
Head of Sale
New York
+ 1 212 940 1250

New Now

New York Auction 19 September 2017