Salvatore Scarpitta - Modern & Contemporary Art New York Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | Phillips
  • Executed in 1976, Starlaera is a prime example of Scarpitta’s sled series. During the 1970s, Scarpitta embarked on a new journey from his “bandage” and “race car” series, giving rise to his renowned collection of “sleds.” His fascination with motion and travel, symbolizing for him the progression of life, emerged anew through this form of archaic transportation. Sleds were a different embodiment of movement, evoking adventure, new frontiers and life’s relentless march forward. Departing from his modern race cars, Scarpitta embraced a more rustic aesthetic with a rugged allure, reminiscent of the Arte Povera movement through its themes and materiality.

     “Something happened whereby the desire that I had in the racing cars were still there, only the wheels weren't here… And then I began what I wanted to do which was an expedition inside my own studio.”
    —Salvatore Scarpitta

    In Starlaera, Scarpitta presents us with a work that, though reminiscent of a sled, evokes a departure from the conventional imagery associated with the object, imbuing it with an innovative essence. Claimed to defy traditional categorization, this piece transcends the spheres of both sculpture and painting, breaking down the boundaries of the canvas. Utilizing a fusion of diverse and inventive mediums, Starlaera shows Scarpitta’s ingenuity with mainly found materials, wood and canvas.

    “A sled is in the memory of every man”
    —Salvatore Scarpitta

    While many of these sleds resemble the familiar form of their namesake, Starlaera stands apart, offering a much more abstract and strikingly unique interpretation of the object. Through its unconventional portrayal accompanied by canvases, this work challenges viewers to rethink the essence of a sled, as Scarpitta breaks it down to its core components and broadens its definition to include anything draggable. Quite different from his contemporaries, Scarpitta stands out with his works like Starlaera that deviate from any one popular art style and come to fruition through his personal understandings and experiences.

     

    Having moved back to the United States upon Leo Castelli’s request and being represented by Castelli for 40 years, Starlaera was exhibited alongside his other works at Leo Castelli Gallery soon after its initial conception, situating its significance within the artworld. More recently, Starlaera was featured in an exhibition of Scarpitta's work, titled Salvatore Scarpitta: Trajectory, at the Marianne Boesky Gallery in 2011. The exhibition showcased the artist alongside influential peers such as Willem de Kooning, Piero Manzoni, and Lucio Fontana, as well as artists he influenced including Jeff Koons, Nancy Rubins, and Julian Schnabel. The piece has also been exhibited at museums such as the Houston Contemporary Arts Museum and the Indianapolis Museum of Art, recognized for its innovative spirit and enduring influence on contemporary art.

    • Provenance

      Collection of the artist
      Dana Scarpitta, New York
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

    • Exhibited

      Houston, Contemporary Arts Museum, Salvatore Scarpitta, May 14–July 30, 1977, pp. 8, 32-33 (illustrated, p. 33)
      New York, Leo Castelli Gallery, Salvatore Scarpitta, February 2–23, 1980
      Indianapolis Museum of Art, Painting and Sculpture Today 1980, June 24–August 17, 1980, no. 89, n.p. (illustrated)
      Cambridge, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University, Salvatore Scarpitta - Racing Cars - Sleds - Paintings, 1986
      New York, 303 Gallery, A Deer Manger, A Dress Pattern, Farthest Sea Water, and a Signature., February 18–March 13, 1988
      Berkeley, Matrix Gallery, University Art Museum, Salvatore Scarpitta, July 12–September 10, 1989
      Charlotte, Tryon Center for Visual Art, Birth Right: An Exhibition of Works by Sal Scarpitta, 2000, no. 8, n.p.
      Houston, Artcar Museum, Salvatore Scarpitta: Outlaw Art at Racing Speeds, February 17–May 1, 2001, pp. 22-23 (illustrated)
      New York, Marianne Boesky Gallery, Salvatore Scarpitta: Trajectory, May 7–June 18, 2011, pp. 62-63, 107 (illustrated, pp. 62-63)

    • Literature

      Salvatore Scarpitta 1958-1985, exh cat., Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, Milan, 1985, pp. 29, 39 (illustrated, p. 39; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, 1977, installation view illustrated, p. 29)
      Luigi Sansone, Salvatore Scarpitta Catalogue Raisonné, Milan, 2005, no. 383, pp. 89, 201, 377 (illustrated, pp. 201, 377; Tryon Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, 2000, installation view illustrated, p. 89)
      Salvatore Scarpitta, exh. cat., Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Milan, 2012, p. 213 (illustrated)

76

Starlaera

signed, titled and dated "SCARPITTA 1976 "STARLAERA"" on the reverse of each canvas
oil, resin, coffee, wood and canvas, in 3 parts
65 1/2 x 169 3/4 x 16 in. (166.4 x 431.2 x 40.6 cm)
Executed in 1976.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
$60,000 - 80,000 

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Nina Piro
Specialist, Associate Vice President
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Modern & Contemporary Art

New York Auction 17 July 2024