Chatsworth Cover - Sotheby's

SOTHEBY’S AT CHATSWORTH: A SELLING EXHIBITION

ENQUIRIES
Alexander Platon
+44 (0)20 7293 5395
alexander.platon@sothebys.com
Simon Stock
+44 (0)20 7293 5716
simon.stock@sothebys.com
Project Manager
Celia Pool
+44 (0)20 7293 5087
celia.pool@sothebys.com
All works in this catalogue are available for private sale.
Prices available upon request.
sothebys.com/beyondlimits
chatsworth.org
Catalogue £25
2

SOTHEBY’S AT CHATSWORTH: A SELLING EXHIBITION
16 September – 30 October 2011
11am – 6pm daily
last admission 5pm
Chatsworth
Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1PP

FOREWORD
Showcasing a wide range of modern and contemporary sculpture, it is with great pleasure that
Amanda and I welcome you to Chatsworth for what will be the sixth edition of Beyond Limits. We are
thrilled to open the doors of our garden to host works by some of the most important sculptors of the
20th Century as well as so many new artists from around the world.
This year Asian artists are well-represented with Takashi Murakami’s Flower Matango, Yayoi Kusama’s
vibrant Flowers That Bloom Tomorrow, two bronzes by Ju Ming, and Ji Yong-Ho with his Lion 2,
already proving to be a favourite with our visitors. Even though I live here, the positioning of the
works again provide some surprising glimpses of our familiar landscape: after six years it is still
fascinating to see how the Sotheby’s team come up with new and original ways to display the works.
By placing old favourites alongside more cutting edge works, I can see various parallels between
history, memory, tradition and innovation. The Flanagan in the Maze garden is similar to one in our
collection sited by the Grotto pond. We are especially delighted to be the venue for Damien Hirst’s
new sculpture Legend. This has been placed with another of his works, Myth, at the far end of the
canal pond, where my mother first positioned modern outdoor sculpture with Elizabeth Frink’s War
Horse (now appropriately guarding the entrance to the Stables) - and I am enchanted to see such a
fresh interpretation of a traditional equine subject so beautifully arranged there once more.
For the past six years the gardens at Chatsworth have continued to provide a wonderful backdrop to
these most interesting sculptures, and this year they have come together in a very exciting manner.
We hope that you enjoy these remarkable objects and their surroundings as much as we do.
The Duke of Devonshire KCVO, CBE, DL

6
WILLIAM TURNBULL
b. 1922
LARGE BLADE VENUS
inscribed with the artist's monogram, dated 90 and numbered 5/5.
bronze
320 by 100 by 68cm.; 126 by 39¼ by 26¾in.
Conceived in 1990 and cast in an edition of 5 plus one artist’s proof.

12
CHARLES HADCOCK
b. 1965
TORSION II
inscribed Hadcock , dated 2011 and numbered 2/5
cast iron
Height: 515cm., 203in.
Conceived in 2009 and cast in an edition of 5.

16
NADIM KARAM
b. 1957
DESERT SAND
rusted steel
Height: 200cm.; 78¾in.
Conceived in 2009 and executed in an edition of 3.

22
LYNN CHADWICK
1914 - 2003
WALKING WOMAN
inscribed by the foundry Morris Singer Founders London
bronze
Height: 213cm.; 83¾in.
Conceived in 1984, this cast is number 1 from an edition of 9.

28
RICHARD HUDSON
b. 1957
FROG WITH FLY
inscribed Hudson , numbered 1/3 and stamped by the foundry Magisa España
mirror polished stainless steel
Height: 350cm.; 137¾in.
Conceived in 2011 and executed in an edition of 3 plus two artist's proofs.

34
YAYOI KUSAMA
b. 1929
FLOWERS THAT BLOOM TOMORROW
inscribed YAYOI KUSAMA and dated 2011
fibreglass reinforced plastic, metal and urethane paint
285 by 235 by 180cm.; 112¼ by 92½ by 70⅞in.
Conceived in 2011 and executed in an edition of 3.

40
JEDD NOVATT
b. 1958
CHAOS MADRID
inscribed NOVATT , dated 2011, titled and stamped by the foundry ALFA arte
bronze
Height: 740cm.; 291⅓in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3 plus two artist's proofs.

46
MANOLO VALDÉS
b. 1942
NIKE
iron and Corten steel
3.35 by 15 by 5m.; 11ft. by 49ft. 2½in. by 16ft. 4¾in.
Executed in 2011, this work is unique.

52
TAKASHI MURAKAMI
b. 1962
FLOWER MATANGO (A)
fibreglass, resin, oil paint, lacquer, acrylic plates and iron
400 by 300 by 249.9cm.; 157½ by 118¼ by 98in.
Executed in 2001, this work is unique.

58
BARRY FLANAGAN
1941 - 2009
LARGE LEFT-HANDED DRUMMER
inscribed with the artist’s monogram, dated /-07, numbered 2/5 and
stamped by the foundry AB LONDON
bronze
490 by 290 by 244cm.; 193 by 114½ by 96in.
Conceived in 2006 and cast in an edition of 5 plus two artist’s proofs.

64
JU MING
b. 1938
TAICHI ARCH
inscribed in Chinese Ju Ming , dated 2000 and numbered 1/8
bronze
237 by 164.5 by 105.5cm.; 93¼ by 64½ by 41⅓in.
Conceived in 2000 and cast in an edition of 8 plus four artist’s proofs.

68
RENÉ MAGRITTE
1898 - 1967
LES MENOTTES DE CUIVRE
inscribed Magritte, numbered 2/8 , stamped by the foundry Susse
Fondeur Paris and with the Magritte Succession pastille
painted bronze
215cm.; 84¾in.
Conceived in 1931 and cast posthumously in an
edition of 8 plus four artist's proofs.

72
DAMIEN HIRST
b. 1965
LEGEND
inscribed Damien Hirst , dated 2011 , numbered 1/3, titled and
stamped by the foundry PANGOLIN EDITIONS
painted bronze
457.5 by 259 by 226cm.; 180⅛ by 102 by 80in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3 plus one artist’s proof.

80
DAMIEN HIRST
b. 1965
MYTH
inscribed Damien Hirst, dated 2010, numbered 1/3, titled
and stamped by the foundry PANGOLIN EDITIONS
painted bronze
359 by 280 by 80.8cm.; 141⅜ by 110¼ by 31⅞in.
Conceived in 2010 and cast in an edition of 3 plus one artist’s proof.

86
LYNN CHADWICK
1914 - 2003
TWO WATCHERS V
inscribed Chadwick , numbered 536 4/4 and stamped with the artist's monogram
bronze
Height: 176cm.; 69¼in.
Conceived in 1967 and cast in an edition of 4.

92
ZADOK BEN-DAVID
b. 1949
SIMPLE LINES
Corten steel
306 by 248 by 2cm.; 120½ by 97⅝ by ¾in.
Executed in 2011, this work is unique.

98
ERIC GOULDER
b. 1964
SENTIRE
inscribed Goulder , dated 2011 , numbered 1/5 and
with the Mariani foundry stamp
bronze
92 by 75 by 50cm.; 36¼ by 29½ by 19¾in.
Executed in 2011 and cast in an edition of 5 plus three artist's proofs.

100

101

102
JU MING
b. 1938
TAICHI SINGLE FIGURE
inscribed in Chinese Ju Ming , dated 96 , and numbered 4/8
bronze
173 by 162 by 139cm.; 68 by 63¾ by 54¾in.
Conceived in 1996 and cast in an edition of 8 plus four artist’s proofs.

103

104

105

106
PEP SIRVENT
b. 1957
RIU
inscribed SIRVENT and numbered 1/3
aluminium, copper and granite
224 by 224 by 60cm.; 88⅛ by 88⅛ by 23⅝in.
Conceived in 2011 and executed in an edition of 3 plus one artist's proof.

107

108

109

110
DAVID BREUER-WEIL
b. 1965
VISITOR 2
inscribed with the initials DBW , numbered 2/3 and stamped by
the foundry PERSEO SA/CERA PERSA MENDRISIO
bronze
350 by 200 by 150cm.; 137¾ by 78¾ by 59 in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3.

111

112

113

114
MARC QUINN
b. 1964
BURNING DESIRE
inscribed MARC QUINN , dated 2011, titled and numbered 1/3
bronze
368 by 436 by 232cm. ; 145 by 171⅝ by 91⅜in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3.

115

116

117

118

119

120
JI YONG-HO
b. 1978
LION 2
stainless steel and used tyres
390 by 122 by 190cm.; 153½ by 48 by 74¾in.
Executed in 2008, this work is unique.

121

122

123

124
LYNN CHADWICK
1914 - 2003
SITTING COUPLE
inscribed L. CHADWICK, numbered C96 6/9 and
stamped by the foundry PANGOLIN EDITIONS
bronze
255 by 331 by 224cm.; 100¾ by 130¼ by 88¼in.
Conceived in 1989-90 and cast in an edition of 9.

125

126

127

128

129

130
PABLO REINOSO
b. 1955
TALKING BENCH
inscribed Reinoso with the artist's monogram, dated 2011 , numbered 1/8
and with the Fonderie de Coubertin foundry stamp
painted steel
650 by 300 by 280cm.; 256 by 118 by 110¼in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 8 plus four artist's proofs.

131

132

133

134

135

136
NADIM KARAM
b. 1957
MIU
stainless steel and perspex
Height: 180cm.; 70¾in.
Conceived in 2010 and executed in an edition of 3.

137

138

139

140
JAUME PLENSA
b. 1955
CHLOE’S WORLD
marble
186 by 72 by 63cm.; 73¼ by 28¼ by 24¾in.
Executed in 2011, this work is unique.

141

142

143

WILLIAM TURNBULL
b. 1922
LARGE BLADE VENUS
inscribed with the artist's monogram, dated 90 and numbered 5/5
bronze
320 by 100 by 68cm.; 126 by 39¼ by 26¾in.
Conceived in 1990 and cast in an edition of 5 plus one artist’s proof.
LITERATURE
David Sylvester (intro.) and Patrick Elliott, William Turnbull: sculpture and
paintings, London, 1995, p. 90, illustration of another cast pl. 68
Amanda Davidson, The Sculpture of William Turnbull, London, 2005, no.
274, p. 23, illustration of another cast p. 179
Large Blade Venus is a sculpture of harmonious concepts and a cultivated
beauty. It seems to levitate upon its balance point, perfectly tuned, standing
elegantly between a state of vacillation and serenity. The work's imposing
elegance is drawn from Japanese samurai swords and Chinese chopping
knives, objects of sincerity and grace, but natural sources such as leaves soften
the ruthless edge. The spatial dominance it demands brings a primordial
quality which bestows upon the work the status of an idol, an ancient Venus.
Turnbull repeatedly explored the idea of 'Idols', using them to explore his
interest in ancient art and artefacts. In particular, the concept of time, its
passing and how objects can become both a keystone to a period, but also
become more nuanced and ambiguous as they grow older. Thus for Turnbull
an archaeological object's form can outlast its initial function as it loses its
connection with its original cultural context.
In 1998 Lord Renfrew and Turnbull held a conversation in which they discussed
his work and influences. Renfrew commented that 'on your Blade Venuses for
instance there will sometimes be vertical striations at the back. They don't hit
the eye to start with, but then you think: "Ah yes this is hair, so I am back on
track, this is definitely the head, this is definitely the hair" and so on. You use
fine details in this way quite often' to which the sculptor replied 'I have always
been very interested in this idea of metamorphosis. Ambiguity can give the
image a wide frame of reference.' (quoted in William Turnbull: Sculptures and
Paintings (exhibition catalogue), Waddington Galleries, 1998, p. 5)
The ambiguity of Turnbull's sculptures is a considered arrangement, designed
to provoke 'contemplation and action'. The visual markers that are sought out
by the viewer, such as the Venus's hair, are immediately removed by the
suggestion of a blade, thus multifarious interpretations of both the entirety and
specific elements are engendered.
In 2006 the Art Fund acquired another cast of Large Blade Venus and gifted it
to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge in honour of Sir Nicholas Goodison.
144
CHARLES HADCOCK
b. 1965
TORSION II
inscribed Hadcock , dated 2011 and numbered 2/5
cast iron
Height: 515cm.; 203in.
Conceived in 2009 and cast in an edition of 5.
Charles Hadcock's dynamic and monumental sculpture is a testament
to his unique working methods and rigourous thought processes. As a
student he would gather the debris of everyday life and use the latent
aesthetic qualities either as inspiration or a direct model to cast from.
The objet-trouvé gave way to the particular form; an object that has
been meticulously planned to perform a function can in Hadcock's
hands become celebratory and aesthetic. Thus the new function
bestowed by the artist is to perform as art and not as engineering.
However it is only because of Hadcock's depth of understanding for
the engineering process and a respect for its innovation that such
reimagining can take place so successfully. Torsion II, one of his largest
works to date , has the same exquisite form as the Archimedes screw,
the spiral that revolutionised engineering for the Ancient Greeks. In
the same tradition the artist's grandfather Sir George Hadcock
invented the breech-loading spiral that were put to use on the
enormous guns on display outside of the Imperial War Museum.
Torsion II therefore is referencing the innate beauty of the engineered
spiral and reflects his own personal indebtedness to the form as a part
of his own history.
Hadcock is not only inspired by the process of engineering. Geology is
another science that plays an important part in his work. The
complexly patinated surface of the spiral is a reminder of eroded clifffaces,
which are created by wind and water, sand-blasted and shocked
into shape over the centuries. Torsion II is a thoughtful reimagining of
this eternal process, and by choosing to replicate the natural
characteristic of stone in cast iron, Hadcock seamlessly retains both the
organic and mechanical sources of inspiration which enhances the
sculpture's overall artistic beauty. This deep understanding of the
physical world gives Torsion II resonant power, a mystical quality that
Andrew Lambirth described as being like 'the beginning of a stairway to
the stars' (Andrew Lambirth, 'Charles Hadcock Sculptures', Fafner's
Cave , 2009).

NADIM KARAM
b. 1957
DESERT SAND
rusted steel
Height: 200cm.; 78¾in.
Conceived in 2009 and executed in an edition of 3.
Desert Sand is a striking example of one of Karam's recurring signature
figures; an animal shape in silhouette holding a totemic-looking pole.
The two panels of rusted steel are connected with struts, creating a
pattern around the outline of the sculpture. Through the use of rusted
steel and its unique texture and colouration, Karam deliberately evokes
its title with the rusted appearance evoking the granular texture of
sand. The work rises as a monolith, its rugged exterior poetically
suggesting an aged presence that has undergone erosion and the slow
passage of time. Metaphorically arresting is the juxtaposition of an
intransient and ever changing texture such as that evoked by the
desert sand, and the thick and hardly immutable rusted steel. The artist
once again provides us with a visually arresting image, one highly
charged with a narrative power which simultaneously highlights the
conjunction of opposing imagery.
LYNN CHADWICK
1914 - 2003
WALKING WOMAN
inscribed by the foundry Morris Singer Founders London
bronze
Height: 213cm.; 83¾in.
Conceived in 1984, this cast is number 1 from an edition of 9.
LITERATURE
Dennis Farr and Eva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor , 2006, C19,
pp. 354-355 , illustration of another cast
'Chadwick has always been intrigued by movement, either actual or
implied, in his sculpture. From his early mobiles to his dancing Teddy
Boy and Girl series of the 1950's to his cloaked walking women with
the windswept hair of the 1980's , he has explored the figures in
motion. Sometimes their cloaks and draperies flow out in the wind
from behind them, or are caught by a gust and wrap themselves
around the figures' (Dennis Farr & Eva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick.
Sculptor , Oxford, 1990, p.15).
The present work is a wonderful example of this depiction of motion.
The monolithic, stately female takes a stride forward whilst her robes
whip about behind her. Chadwick seems not only to have cast her
clothing in bronze but the very air that she motivates and is moved by.
Her triangular head is gently inclined into the gale which gives the
whole work a sense of determination. Chadwick expressed the need for
his work to possess 'attitude', he explains that he would bestow this
quality by 'the way that you make something talk by the way the neck
is bent, or the attitude of the head; you can actually make these
sculptures talk, they say something according to the exact balance,
whereas if they're absolutely straight...well, I suppose that is saying
something too' (Dennis Farr & Eva Chadwick, ibid. p.15).
145

RICHARD HUDSON
b. 1957
FROG WITH FLY
inscribed Hudson , numbered 1/3 and stamped by the foundry Magisa
España
mirror polished stainless steel
Height: 350cm.; 137¾in.
Conceived in 2011 and executed in an edition of 3 plus two artist's
proofs.
Hudson's most recent sculpture Frog With Fly , strongly suggests his
obsession with material perfection and the desire to engage the
spectator with the work of art on an intimate level. Highly sensuous
and tactile, the piece literally invites us into a visual and sensorial
exploration of its smoothed contours. Describing the relationship
between his sculptures and the viewer, Hudson gives us an insight into
his practice, remarking that 'line is the most important thing to me, the
continuity of it. I want people to be able to look at the piece and follow
a smooth graceful line all the way around and back to the beginning
again without any break. I like sculpture that flows.'
British artist Richard Hudson began producing sculpture late in his
career after spending a number of years travelling and then working in
London. His distinctive abstract-figurative style is inspired by the
fecundity of landscapes witnessed in Africa, and his belief that
essential, natural pleasures can be expressed in sculpture through
aesthetic beauty and purity of form. Working in bronze, marble and
plywood, Hudson initially focused on the female nude – enlarged,
truncated, and simplified. His recent sculptures, however, explore
abstract forms. Reminiscent of the biomorphic sculptures created by
Jean Arp, Richard Hudson's works further share their overtly sexualised
content with Constantin Brancusi's bronzes.
146
YAYOI KUSAMA
b. 1929
FLOWERS THAT BLOOM TOMORROW
inscribed YAYOI KUSAMA and dated 2011
fibreglass reinforced plastic, metal and urethane paint
285 by 235 by 180cm.; 112¼ by 92½ by 70⅞in.
Conceived in 2011 and executed in an edition of 3.
Flowers That Bloom Tomorrow is Yayoi Kusama's towering floral symbol
of her most consistent figurative preoccupations. Hovering above eyelevel
is a giant bulging flower head, stemming from a multicoloured
support whose protruding leaves recall giant tongues. Ever since her
first artistic statements, from bizarre public performances in New York
in the 1960s up to 1993, when the artist became the first painter ever to
be awarded a solo show at the Venice Biennale's Japanese pavilion,
Kusama's fame has been soaring.
An element of play dominates the work, a curious blurring of the
boundaries between human elements and natural forms. Her iconic
polka-dots – Kusama has been nicknamed the 'queen of polka-dots' –
are a visual representation of her exploration of the concept of infinity
and the delineation of form. The important monographic exhibition on
the artist at the Museum of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County
Museum of Art in New York in 1998 served to establish Kusama as a
forerunner of post-feminist art, deeply rooted within the concerns of
Minimalism and Pop. Commenting on the artist's work, Lynn
Zelevansky has stated that, 'this is Kusama's moment...and it has a lot
to do with the daring, the emotional thrust, the body-centeredness, the
eccentricity and idiosyncrasy of her work. I honestly believe that even
though the 1960s were not the perfect cultural moment for her,
Kusama was still able to have a voice of some strength. And Kusama is
very right for right now - She is a natural fit.'

JEDD NOVATT
b. 1958
CHAOS MADRID
inscribed NOVATT , dated 2011, titled and stamped by the foundry
ALFA arte
bronze
Height: 740cm.; 291⅓in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3 plus two artist's proofs.
Chaos Madrid is an outstanding example of Jedd Novatt's large-scale
sculptural œuvre and is his most ambitious work to-date. Though
architectonic in scale and form, it exhibits an unpredictable geometry
that borders on the organic. The stacked, cuboid forms defy attempts
to identify parallel or uniform contours, instead suggesting the balance
and elegance of natural structures. Novatt's early works were produced
using the technique of welding, establishing a dialogue with the works
of Julio González, Pablo Picasso and David Smith.
More recently Novatt has worked in bronze, a medium more sensitive
to nuances of contour and texture. Each piece is the product of a
defined process; it is modelled and carved in wax, cast in bronze and
then chased by hand.
Novatt studied Physics, Literature and Sculpture at Sarah Lawrence
College, New York, where he developed his longstanding passion for
sculpture. He went on to study at SCAD-Lacoste, the French
institution affiliated with the Savannah College of Arts & Design in
Atlanta, Georgia. Novatt began working professionally in New York in
the early 1980s and currently divides his time between studios in New
York and Paris. In recent years Novatt's work has been widely exhibited
in London, Paris, New York and in other major cities worldwide. 2008
witnessed his major solo exhibition held at La Piscine: Musée d'Art et
d'Industrie in Roubaix, France. His work is well represented in
numerous public collections across the United States and he enjoys an
established reputation amongst private collectors in the US and
worldwide.
MANOLO VALDÉS
b. 1942
NIKE
iron and Corten steel
3.35 by 15 by 5m.; 11ft. by 49ft. 2½in. by 16ft. 4¾in.
Executed in 2011, this work is unique.
In this new and unique monumental sculpture, Manolo Valdés is not
only influenced by Greek mythology but also by the Moorish
architecture of the Alhambra Palace in Granada. As a powerful
majestic figure of victory, Nike is a modern industrialised counterpart to
the iconic marble Nike of Samothrace in the Louvre. Her veiled head is
the most prominent feature of the ensemble, enclosed within walls of
pierced Corten steel that have a tessellated pattern recalling those
found in the mosaics of the walls of the Alhambra. These mosaic
labyrinths lead the viewer on a journey to the central and partiallyhidden
feature of the head of Nike.
As a recurring element in Valdés' œuvre, the head is a 'self-sufficient
and perfectly independent' feature. It has been described as a 'planet
around which invisible satellites orbit', a catalyst for spatial construction
which lends the work a sense of movement and weight. ( Manolo Valdés
1981-2006 , Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, p.38). The
face is anonymous and mysterious, split by a vertical and horizontal
axis which Guillermo Solana describes as echoing Giorgio de Chirico's
metaphysical mannequins. The author further comments that these
heads 'invoke a superhuman power, of mythical queens or goddesses
capable of demanding human sacrifices in their honour' ( ibid , p. 40).
With contrasting subtlety of form and roughness of texture, Manolo
Valdés presents us with an elegant landmark of his new œuvre .
147

TAKASHI MURAKAMI
b. 1962
FLOWER MATANGO (A)
fibreglass, resin, oil paint, lacquer, acrylic plates and iron
400 by 300 by 249.9cm.; 157½ by 118¼ by 98in.
Executed in 2001, this work is unique.
PROVENANCE
Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris and Miami
LITERATURE
Kaikai Kiki: Takashi Murakami (exhibition catalogue), Paris, Fondation
Cartier pour l'art contemporain (and travelling), 2002, illustration of
Flower Matango (b)
Murakami (exhibition catalogue), Los Angeles, The Museum of
Contemporary Art (and travelling), 2007, illustration of Flower Matango (b)
Takashi Murakami's large-scale Flower Matango (a) from 2001 is a
stunning example of how Japan's foremost contemporary artist merges
contemporary culture with traditional Japanese training. The sculpture, a
fairy-tale like creature, positively bristles with brightly coloured flowers,
sprouting vines and smiling out at the viewer. Instead of adopting the
Western technique of a single focal point, Murakami here employs the
traditional Eastern method of a multiplicity of viewpoints. The effect is a
visual and cerebral amalgam of High (fine art) and Low (popular) art.
Murakami and other Japanese anime artists found a new way to elevate
the use of logos and commercial signs through such imagery.
Murakami's original aesthetic related to the pre-eminent anime and
manga imagery of 1980s Japan but ultimately developed into the
cartoon style of kawaii, here embodied in a sculpture both quirky and
undeniably appealing, presenting a brilliantly pithy comment on the
influential effect of branded dream-worlds in contemporary culture.
After obtaining his PhD in Nihon-ga, a traditional Japanese style of
painting in which flowers are a constant motif, Murakami started to teach
painting and drawing at a local preparatory school. Murakami explains
how flowers became part of his oeuvre: 'When I was preparing for the
entrance exams for the University of Fine arts, I spent two years drawing
flowers. I drew some every day... At the beginning, to be frank, I didn't
like flowers, but as I continued teaching in the school, my feelings
changed: their smell, their shape – it made me feel almost physically sick,
and at the same time I found them very 'cute'. Each one seems to have
its own feelings, its own personality.' The hundreds of googly eyes in
Flower Matango stare out at the viewer from an extremely compact
multi-coloured ball, entrancing and enveloping them in a euphoria of
tangling vines. By using his iconic motif of eyes, Murakami's sculpture
seems at once unnerving yet also unwaveringly joyful.
148
BARRY FLANAGAN
1941 - 2009
LARGE LEFT-HANDED DRUMMER
inscribed with the artist's monogram, dated /-07 , numbered 2/5 and
stamped by the foundry AB LONDON
bronze
490 by 290 by 244cm.; 193 by 114½ by 96in.
Conceived in 2006 and cast in an edition of 5 plus two artist’s proofs.
EXHIBITED
London, Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition, 14 June - 22 August 2010
This marching hare with inspiring gestures epitomises Flanagan's
expressive play with anthropomorphism; a major preoccupation
throughout his career. The artist's early notebook sketches and
etchings of various fowl and house pets experimentally used animals as
vehicles for the direct and economical display of human attributes, but
it was not until this interest coincided with Flanagan's return to bronze
casting in 1979 that the theme took on primary focus in his work. This
change also marked a departure from the abstract and theoretical 'soft
forms' of the 1960s and 1970s, as the latter part of Flanagan's career
was dominated by representational work. Especially in his Hares ,
Flanagan sought to push the definitional boundaries of figurative art
and expand upon established rhetorical modes. These works became
increasingly monumental, and the towering nature of the present piece,
not only in terms of its size but also in its bold upright alertness, is a
significant confrontation to the observer's steadfast verticality.
In the present work, the hare is portrayed at its most confident and
proud; the animal assertively strides along, the drum its battle cry. Yet
Flanagan has also managed to imbue the sculpture with an invigorating
tension. By depicting the moment prior to the beating of the drum, he
captures a fleeting instant of breathless anticipation, and the precarious
balance of the figure's lanky monumental form on the rising pyramidal
precipice is unflinchingly defiant. Flanagan continually revelled in his
ability to find interesting solutions to the dilemma of how to relate a
sculpture to the ground, even resting Four Casb '67 on a surface of
sand when it was first exhibited. Here, the base's upward slope
highlights the hare's organic contours. The collective effect of the base
in relation to the figure is one of power, cheek and humour. Here is
Flanagan's artistic vision at its best; the hare's animated form perfectly
articulates the rich theatrical possibilities of a subject, one that
occupied the artist's imagination for over twenty years.

JU MING
b. 1938
TAICHI ARCH
inscribed in Chinese Ju Ming , dated 2000 and numbered 1/8
bronze
237 by 164.5 by 105.5cm.; 93¼ by 64½ by 41⅓in.
Conceived in 2000 and cast in an edition of 8 plus four artist's proofs.
The present work belogs to Ju Ming's acclaimed Tai Chi Series – a
substantial group of monumental bronze figures each performing one
of the highly controlled 'forms', or motions, which define this historic
Chinese martial art. At once static and explosive, solid yet graceful, the
figures embody the rhythmic vitality of Tai Chi, demonstrating the
sense of spatial equilibrium which epitomizes this series of sculptures.
This physical harmony extends to the spiritual dimension; the artist's
temperament is manifested in every nuance of texture, every
manipulation of form, engaging the viewer in a state of meditation. Ju
Ming's Tai Chi practitioners stand larger than life, and while they brim
with movement and poise, they are inhuman, godlike and eternal,
reminiscent of the gargantuan Moai figures of Easter Island.
RENÉ MAGRITTE
1898 - 1967
LES MENOTTES DE CUIVRE
inscribed Magritte, numbered 2/8 , stamped by the foundry Susse
Fondeur Paris and with the Magritte Succession pastille
painted bronze
Height: 215cm.; 84¾in.
Conceived in 1931 and cast posthumously in an edition of 8 plus four
artist's proofs.
LITERATURE
Paul Nougé, 'L'avenir des statues', Exposition René Magritte,
Brussels, 1933
David Sylvester, Magritte, London, 1992, pp. 211-212, illustration of a
plaster cast p. 213
David Sylvester (ed)., Sarah Whitfield & Michael Raeburn, René
Magritte, Catalogue Raisonné, London, 1994, vol. IV, p. 281
Magritte's magical sculpture Les Menottes de Cuivre stands as one of
the earliest and most compelling objects of Surrealism. Taking the
ubiquitous Venus de Milo as a subject for subversion, Magritte charms
and beguiles the viewer into re-evaluating the verity of any given object.
The present work draws from the glamour and monumentality of that
classical masterpiece, and yet delights in the frankness of fresh pink
flesh, immodest and sensual, whilst the artistry of the original is
preserved in the serene white head. Discussing his representation of
the Venus Magritte stated that 'the sudden absence of stone, where
stone really exists, and the presence, however, of the form that the
stone embodied, must necessarily evoke a sense of mystery. The
'nature' of such a statue would not thereby be made arbitrary or
subject to a whim: it is necessary that it is flesh' (quoted in David
Sylvester (ed). Whitfield and Raeburn, René Magritte, Catalogue
Raisonné, London 1994, vol. IV, p. 281).
The enigmatic title of this work was bestowed by the surrealist
ringmaster André Breton following a request from Magritte to find a
title that 'for me will be the kind of surprise I like most' (letter from
Magritte to Breton,
19 March 1936). Breton obliged and responded 'I resign myself to
suggesting a purely poetic title: 'The Copper handcuffs'. The main
advantage, I think, is that it gives an additional colour to the object, but
not arbitrarily, since copper is the metal corresponding to Venus' (letter
from Breton to Magritte, 8 April 1936). These underlying meanings
amply contribute to an object that already exerts a powerful
magnetism.
149

DAMIEN HIRST
b. 1965
LEGEND
inscribed Damien Hirst , dated 2011 , numbered 1/3, titled and stamped
by the foundry PANGOLIN EDITIONS
painted bronze
457.5 by 259 by 226cm.; 180⅛ by 102 by 80in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3 plus one artist's proof.
'I just can't help thinking that [medical] science is the new religion for
many people ... there [are] four important things in life: religion, love, art
and science. At their best, they're all just tools to help you find a path
through the darkness. None of them really work that well, but they help.
Of them all, science seems to be the one right now. Like religion, it
provides the glimmer of hope that maybe it will be all right in the end... I
want... people to think about the combination of science and religion,
basically. People tend to think of them as two very separate things, one
cold and clinical, the other emotional and loving and warm. I wanted to
leap over those boundaries and give you something that looks clinical
and cold but has all the religious, metaphysical connotations, too.'
(Quoted in Damien Hirst: New Religion , exhibition catalogue, Paul
Stolper, London 2005, p.V.).
Damien Hirst's evocation of science and religion as the guiding lights for
the human condition finds eloquent expression in the majestic equine
form of Legend . This monumental winged horse stands atop its plinth as
an icon of Hirst's new modern mythologising art. Pegasus was the
legendary beast that Bellerophon rode to defeat the Chimera. The
Chimera was another hybrid creature, representing the ferocity found in
the animal kingdom, whilst Pegasus embodied the freedom and nobility
of nature. This monumental sculpture is thus rendered in pure white, a
towering beacon of strength and virtue. However, Hirst's Legend has
come under the scrutiny of the scientist/vivisectionist. One flank has
been surgically flayed, exposing its muscles and bare bones, showing the
secrets of this mythological animal in a colourful symphony of reds and
yellows creating a dramatic contrast to the untouched sanctity of the
other perfect white side.
Photography by Barnaby Hindle.
© Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved, DACS 2011.
150
DAMIEN HIRST
b. 1965
MYTH
inscribed Damien Hirst , dated 2010 , numbered 1/3 , titled and stamped
by the foundry PANGOLIN EDITIONS
painted bronze
359 by 280 by 80.8cm.; 141⅜ by 110¼ by 31⅞in.
Conceived in 2010 and cast in an edition of 3 plus one artist's proof.
EXHIBITED
Monaco, Musée Océanographique, Cornucopia. Damien Hirst , 1 April -
30 September 2010, pp.86-89, illustrated in the catalogue
The elegant counter-part to Legend , Myth embodies the fabled
unicorn, the shimmering white horse bearing a single twisted horn, a
tusk that was considered an elixir of fertility and health and a symbol of
universal power. The unicorn is one of the most potent mythological
symbols in western culture. The clerics and philosophers of the middle
ages endowed it with a wealth of theological properties. The common
lore of the period perpetuated an allegorical account of a unicorn
being hunted until stilled by the presence of a virgin, who took the
head of the beast upon her lap, where it slept. The wild beast had been
tempered and tamed by the purity of the maiden. This story has
inspired some of the most outstanding works of European art,
including the majestic millefleur tapestry Maiden with Unicorn in the
Musée de Cluny in Paris. The tale entered into the meta-history of the
Virgin Mary, where the unicorn became a symbol of Christ's Passion,
an elegiac symbol of his divine suffering and absolute purity. Hirst has
frequently taken on the challenge of religion in his work. Indeed Myth
can be situated amongst the most visually arresting of the artist's
sculptural oeuvre, including the similarly flayed Saint Bartholomew,
Exquisite Pain and Hymn in bronze, The Anatomy of an Angel in
marble, and his iconic masterpiece preserved in formaldehyde, The
Golden Calf .
Myth eloquently references the pseudo-sciences of the past, and our
enduring fascination with the healing properties of religion and science,
and for the role of Art in representing the acquisition of knowledge.
One flank of the unicorn lays bare the internal structure of the myth
and our folly in the pursuit of anatomising our belief. By revealing the
mortal flesh of the animal within, Hirst has cleverly inverted the
purpose of such a study. The myth explored here is only deepened by
the tantalising corporeality of this sculpture.

LYNN CHADWICK
1914 - 2003
TWO WATCHERS V
inscribed Chadwick , numbered 536 4/4 and stamped with the artist's
monogram
bronze
Height: 176cm.; 69¼in.
Conceived in 1967 and cast in an edition of 4.
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Bermuda (purchased direct from the artist in 1968)
EXHIBITED
On loan to the National Gallery of Bermuda, 1991-2010
LITERATURE
Dennis Farr and Eva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor , 2006,
no. 536,
pp. 242-243, illustration of another cast
Lynn Chadwick's enigmatic sculpture Two Watchers V (Third Version)
depicts a couple who stand in such proximity to one another that they
almost form a zoomorphic quadruped. Their heads turn about them
encouraging the viewer to become aware not just of the physical shape
of the sculpture but to cast their eyes around the very space it inhabits.
Chadwick explained his creative process as: 'when I start to work, I wait
till I feel what I want to do; and I know how I am working by the
presence or lack of a rhythmic impulse. I think that to attempt to
analyze the ability to draw ideas from their subconscious source would
almost certainly interfere with that ability'.
During the 1960's Chadwick began to create a series of dramatic
beings that exhibit a trance-like state of consciousness, which seems to
emanate from the television monitor shaped heads. These featureless
heads manage to convey an emotional sentiment of individualism that
is simultaneously existential yet essentially human.
Commenting on the artist's work Colette Chattopadhyay stated that: '
Exploiting Cubism's inherent satirical possibilities, Chadwick wryly uses
square and rectangular heads as a generalized leitmotif for modern
man, accentuating modernity's lust for media programming and
disinterest in speculative thought' (Colette Chattopadhyay, Exhibition
catalogue, Lynn Chadwick Sculptures and Drawings 1955 to 1991 ,
Tasende Gallery, Los Angeles 2002-03, p. 6).
ZADOK BEN-DAVID
b. 1949
SIMPLE LINES
Corten steel
306 by 248 by 2cm.; 120½ by 97⅝ by ¾in.
Executed in 2011, this work is unique.
Born in Yemen in 1949, Zadok Ben-David initially studied at the Bezalel
Academy of Art & Design in Jerusalem and subsequently completed
his studies a the prestigious Central St. Martin's College, where he was
taught, amongst others, by Anthony Caro and William Tucker. Ben-
David exhibited at the Venice Biennale representing Israel in 1988, and
his work has constantly focused on the relationship between man and
nature. Throughout his œuvre , there is a clear and deliberate strength
achieved through the use of symbols and forms and the way they
relate to organic shapes.
Ben-David comments on the magical, yet rational and earthly quality
to his works; 'like a magician, I enjoy surprising people, making them
wonder, but at the same time, I know there is no real magic behind it'
( Zadok Ben-David Sculpture, 1987-90 , Collins Gallery, Glasgow, p.8).
The delicate thinness and ephemeral character of his works such as
evidenced in this unique work, Simple Lines is contrasted with the use
of hard Corten steel, contributing to an impression of force further
emphasised by its imposing height. Balance, in both nature and art is
further explored by the artist, and as stated by Lia Lindner it 'becomes
an act of confident instinct', tying Simple Lines to one of Ben-David's
central preoccupations ( ibid , p. 30).
151

ERIC GOULDER
b. 1964
SENTIRE
inscribed Goulder , dated 2011 , numbered 1/5 and with the
Mariani foundry stamp
bronze
92 by 75 by 50cm.; 36¼ by 29½ by 19¾in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 5 plus three artist's proofs.
Goulder's highly naturalistic yet simplified treatment of his figures
maintains an ongoing dialogue with sculptural tradition, encompassing the
dynamism and expressive delicacy of Gian Lorenzo Bernini with the
elegance of Auguste Rodin. The verismo which characterises his creations
distinguishes them entirely from the works of other contemporary
figurative sculptors; his focus on everyday subjects, combined with an
uncanny realism, sense of romantic melodrama and flawless, polished
appearance, has become the feature for which Goulder's sculptures are
renowned. Sentire , the Italian word for the sense of hearing, evokes a state
of silent contemplation such as that undergone by the female subject of
this work in a pose recalling Rodin's Thinker. Sentire also highlights our
own sense of contemplation experienced through the alluring contours
and shapes of the figure's body.
American born Eric Goulder's work has been featured in Sculpture Review
and The Washington Post as well as having been presented in solo shows
at the Forum Gallery in New York and Los Angeles. He has participated
in numerous group exhibitions throughout the United States. Primarily
working in bronze, silver, marble and lead crystal, the artist creates
figurative pieces which are incredibly sensuous and delicate, exhibiting an
unfaltering attention to detail.
152
JU MING
b. 1938
TAICHI SINGLE FIGURE
inscribed in Chinese Ju Ming , dated 96 and numbered 4/8
bronze
173 by 162 by 139cm.; 68 by 63¾ by 54¾in.
Conceived in 1996 and cast in an edition of 8 plus four artist's
proofs.
Ju Ming was born in 1938 in Tunghsiao, Taiwan, and trained initially as
a woodcarver in the studio of Master Chiu Chuan Li. Not satisfied
with the creative limitations of his trade, he began an apprentice in
modern sculpture in the studio of Yang Yu-Yu, where he remained
from 1968 to 1976. Having developed his skills in a range of sculpting
practices, including bronze casting ceramics and stainless steel
fabrication, Ju Ming held his first standalone international exhibition
at Tokyo Central Museum the following year. Since then he has
exhibited widely throughout Asia and the West.

PEP SIRVENT
b. 1957
RIU
inscribed SIRVENT and numbered 1/3
aluminium, copper and granite
224 by 224 by 60cm.; 88⅛ by 88⅛ by 23⅝in.
Conceived in 2011 and executed in an edition of 3 plus one artist's
proof.
Born in Girona, Spanish artist José Maria Sirvent - or Pep as he is
known - studied in the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Sant Jordi in
Barcelona. He moved to Mallorca in 1983 where he started to sculpt
for the first time and where he continues to receive wide recognition,
and where his first solo exhibition was in 1989. Mounted mainly working
in bronze, granite and copper, his public sculptures can be seen as far
afield as Japan, Switzerland, the United States, Germany, France and
Mexico.
Riu , his latest work, is a ring crafted out of the union of three materials:
granite, bronze and steel, each representing a different temporal
sphere. As Sirvent himself has commented on the work, this represents
a 'trio that follows us in our compromise with life, which ties our past
with the present and takes us to the future flowing like a river while
transforming, while keeping the essence of things gone by'. Sirvent
further remarks of the 'past memories made of granite, that melt with
what we are and what we have lived, creating a bronze which mixes
metals and light, that transformation in time that transports us to the
steel, a future that starts in the present'. Commenting on the universal
values condensed in his work the artist states, poetically, that Riu is a
'glimpse of material light, in which its nature and its compromise with
life are most important. A simple and essential ring that ties the values
that we share along the river of life.' (Pep Sirvent, 2011)
DAVID BREUER-WEIL
b. 1965
VISITOR 2
inscribed with the initials DBW , numbered 2/3 and stamped by the
foundry PERSEO SA CERA PERSA MENDRISIO
bronze
350 by 200 by 150cm.; 137¾ by 78¾ by 59in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3.
With Visitor 2 David Breuer-Weil presents us with a giant human form
that has landed on earth from a great height; an alien or fallen angel. In
a powerful manner, this piece dramatises the connection between
heaven and earth. Having emerged from the skies, Visitor 2 can be
seen in opposition to Visitor , his giant head emerging from the depths
which was exhibited at Beyond Limits last year. The simplicity and
iconic power of both Visitor and Visitor 2 is achieved by Breuer-Weil's
masterful use of parts of the human form to suggest a larger human
presence. Breuer-Weil states: 'you can achieve great monumentality by
showing the viewer only the tip of the iceberg and allowing the
viewer's imagination to do most of the work.'
He states that 'with Visitor 2 I wanted to create a piece with the timeless
simplicity of the Avebury Stones or Stonehenge, but infused with humanity
and dynamism, and with a sense of the mystical and primeval. There may
exist an extra-terrestrial race of aliens identical to us in all ways but scale. I
love the idea that one such being might suddenly and unexpectedly have
landed on earth, a similar shock to seeing a large fish or a whale washed up
on the shore. But at the same time I always loved Dante's fallen angel. In
many ways every human being is a fallen angel. At the same time I have
this idea of the absurdity of the human condition, a Monty Python-like
surreal sense of humour that is part of the way I view reality.'
The artist engages with the raw physicality of his chosen medium, such as
sculpting in clay for bronze, and lending a rich textured appearance to the
surface of his works. Whilst his sculptural imagery relates closely to his
paintings, he also revels in the process of working in clay in a painterly
fashion. In an interview with James Hyman, in which Breuer-Weil discussed
Lucian Freud's alchemical desire that paint should become flesh, he
commented, 'I find that sculpting in clay is in some ways more like painting
than painting itself... I am definitely aware of the rich history and symbolism
of making figures out of the earth, out of clay, because according to most
ancient sources, notably the Bible, the first man was literally made out of
earth and in fact the very word Adam means earth: there is the almost
alchemical idea that when you use paint or clay you are creating a life
force.' (Quoted in Monica Bohn Duchen, David Breuer-Weil: Radical
Visionary , Milan, 2011, p. 353).
153

MARC QUINN
b. 1964
BURNING DESIRE
inscribed MARC QUINN , dated 2011 , titled and numbered 1/3
bronze
368 by 436 by 232cm. ; 145 by 171⅝ by 91⅜in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 3.
Marc Quinn's monumental Burning Desire is based upon a naturalistic
Phalaenopsis , a genus of the orchid family, which has been modelled in
exquisite detail. The fine red petals, each distinguished by unique
venation, defy the properties of the bronze medium in which they are
cast, appearing almost weightless and ethereal. Every element of the
sculpture aspires to the perfection of reality, the accurate rendition of
natural beauty. The present work belongs to a series of sculptures and
paintings through which Quinn explores the concept of ideal beauty.
Familiar though exotic, this flower has been rendered uncanny by its
enlargement into sculpted form. On an immense scale the delicate
petals take on an ominous presence, resembling the wings of the
Phalaena moth from which the flower takes its name; the lower part, in
turn, assumes the appearance of pincer-like mandibles on the
threshold of inertia – poised to snap shut, pierce and penetrate. The
title of the work, Burning Desire , also hints at the sculpture's latent
sexual connotations; the heart of the flower's anatomy is its
reproductive organ, which lures insects for pollination. So, in turn,
does this part suggest the human female sex – both desired and
feared – and invite comparison with the voluptuous paintings of
Georgia O'Keefe.
154
JI YONG-HO
b. 1978
LION 2
stainless steel and used tyres
390 by 122 by 190cm.; 153½ by 48 by 74¾in.
Executed in 2008, this work is unique.
Ji Yong-Ho was born in 1978 and studied in his native Korea and the
New York University. He has exhibited his startlingly original sculpture
all over the world and has garnered a strong reputation for his work.
The present work, Lion 2 , is a powerful example of his unique vision.
The raw intensity of the animal's form is enhanced by his use of rubber
tyres. This recycled medium lends an alien power and vivifies the
abnormal form of the Lion. The tyres' richly textured with its furrows
and abrasions, help define the slick muscle groups that harness to the
steel core to emanate a ferocious tension.
However, the sculpture is not an exercise purely in imaginative fiction,
Ji Yong-Ho also explores the questionable scientific advances of the
modern era, in particular the field of genetic modification. This is
based on his scepticism towards those 'who seek to challenge nature
by creating an entirely new form of life through modifying genes of
animals, plants, and human beings.' These are the debatable
technological advances comprising Ji Yong-Ho's resistance to
mutation tainted by human interference, in which 'the original identity
of all natural living creatures may one day disappear.' The threat
embodied by the Lion may be that of its potential existence, a reality
that is even farther removed from our basic relationship with nature.
Ji Yong-Ho draws his artistic influence from classical art but blends it
with a modern eastern aesthetic. Ji Yong-Ho sites figurative sculpture
masters like Rodin and Michelangelo as his greatest influences, in
particular Rodin who sought to perfect the 'powerful and exaggerated
posture' to convey his subjects' emotional states. The technical
mastery and wild imagination of Ji Yong-Ho finds such an eloquent
expression in the bewitching and fearsome Lion 2 .

LYNN CHADWICK
1914 - 2003
SITTING COUPLE
inscribed L. CHADWICK, numbered C96 6/9 and stamped by the
foundry PANGOLIN EDITIONS
bronze
255 by 331 by 224cm.; 100¾ by 130¼ by 88¼in.
Conceived in 1989-90 and cast in an edition of 9.
PROVENANCE
Estate of the artist
LITERATURE
Dennis Farr and Eva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor , 2006, C96,
pp. 396-397, illustration of another cast
Lynn Chadwick's geometric figurative vocabulary created in the 1970s is
further developed in his late monumental works on the 'Sitting Couple'
theme. Emphasised by the anonymous aspect of the bronze figures, these
explore the theme of a universal personal and collective identity.
Chadwick began by simplifying the female body into a series of
interlocking diamonds in his sculptures of 1970, and then over the
subsequent decade created variations of this stylistic geometry that
distinguished the sex of his figures. In these works, the female came to be
denoted by a pyramidal or diamond shaped head, whilst the male has an
aggressively rectangular head with a torso that is geometrically formed.
His later variations of this theme tend towards the achievement of an
increased naturalism, and demonstrate how the windswept figures of the
early 1980s impacted on his 'Sitting Couple' sculptures. The angular
bodies of the seated figures in this work are softened by the cloaks that
are draped around their frames, giving the female figure in particular a
more tenderly modelled and less strictly geometric appearance. As
Collette Chattopadhay comments, 'Chadwick's late works of the 80s and
90s continue to explore the nature of collective social identity while
manifesting affection for the female torso, which is increasingly
naturalistically portrayed' (Collette Chattopadhay, Lynn Chadwick
(exhibition cataologue) Tasende Gallery, Los Angeles, 2002, p. 7).
PABLO REINOSO
b. 1955
TALKING BENCH
inscribed Reinoso with the artist's monogram, dated 2011 , numbered
1/8 and with the Fonderie de Coubertin foundry stamp
painted steel
650 by 300 by 280cm.; 256 by 118 by 110¼in.
Conceived in 2011 and cast in an edition of 8 plus four artist's proofs.
The bench as the starting point of sculptural invention and
experimentation is the recurrent symbol in Pablo Reinoso's work. On
this object, the artist wishes to create a narrative; 'benches tell stories.
Everyone has used a public bench in their lives: watching our children
play, waiting for someone, reading a newspaper. I see in them a work of
architecture, of structure, anthropology, semiotics- they are the
negative of the human seating position. They are the sign of the
absent user'. Born in 1955 in Buenos Aires, Reinoso has lived and
worked in Paris since the late 1970's training as a sculptor and
eventually establishing himself as a product designer since the nineties.
A multi-disciplinary artist and designer, Reinoso further has an eclectic
breadth of experience in the packaging of luxury consumer goods,
furniture, lighting and jewellery design.
The key principle in his works is the blending of art and design, turning
everyday objects into original and playful artworks. As a variation to
Reinoso's previous works which focused on elongated forms, the
circular form of Talking Bench creates a sphere for dialogue which
points to speech as an act of communion and intellectual exchange.
Unlike the humble wooden public benches, the impressive scale and
use of painted steel in the present work further lends the piece an air
of solidity and strength. The free flowing forms serve to create
movement, pointing to what Reinoso names as 'breathing sculpture'
refers to the way in which Calder adapted his mobiles while also
acknowledging their architectural properties. Commenting on spatial
boundaries and as a hint to Reinoso's working method, the artist
refuses to accept such prescriptions and says: 'boundaries you need to
know but you don't need to respect'. Through such statement, he
signals the unconfined poetics of space.
155

NADIM KARAM
b. 1957
MIU
stainless steel and perspex
Height: 180cm.; 70¾in.
Conceived in 2010 and executed in an edition of 3.
Reflecting its surroundings, Miu seamlessly blends with its landscape,
acting both as a mirror and a figurative sculptural object. Viewing the
work inevitably distorts our notion of spatial depth, the foreground of
the reflected landscape, the sculpture itself, and the background
against which it is outlined conspire to create a flattened image in a
play of shifting appearances. In this piece, Karam captures the essence
of his practice; the assembling of elements and methods. The artist
stated in an interview that 'rather than drawing lines meaning
boundaries (between disciplines) I try to fuse them all together'. It is
the very blurring of boundaries between art, architecture and design
that make such a work an icon of Karam's œuvre .
The internationally renowned Lebanese artist, architect and urbanpainter
Nadim Karam, born in 1957, runs the Atelier Hapsitus in Beirut
and sits on the advisory board of the International Design Forum. As a
multi-disciplinary artist, Karam has established himself through
monumental sculpture with his trademark use of steel. He has been
commissioned to create public installations world-wide and has taught
at the University of Tokyo, the American University in Beirut and was a
Dean at the Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design at Notre-Dame
University in Lebanon from 2002-2003.
156
JAUME PLENSA
b. 1955
CHLOE'S WORLD
marble
186 by 72 by 63cm.; 73¼ by 28¼ by 24¾in.
Executed in 2011, this work is unique.
A winner of both national and international awards, Plensa's prolific
work encapsulates themes of globalisation and human presence. Chloe's
World gives an insight into such concerns, as a unique white shining
marble sculpture, it is elevated to the status of a poetic totem. The
distorted and elongated head of a young girl provides the viewer with
an entirely new visual and sculptural experience. Her presence is
mystified by her portrayal with closed eyes, in a pensive and meditative
stance. Almost as a silent sculptural hologram as one encounters it, this
work entices and evokes the senses. In an interview Plensa recounts an
episode in which he was invited to present a work recently donated by a
collector, he says 'one lady remarked that throughout my speech I
asked people to touch my work, to live it and feel if it was hot or cold,
rough or smooth, while, rather close to my sculpture there was a sign
saying "Please do not touch". I replied that the administration had
made a little mistake and that it had forgotten to complete the sign.
The text should have said "Do not touch it: caress it". You caress your
wife, you don't touch her. And this is what people should do with art: it
needs to be caressed.'
Plensa's use of sculpture as a binary object, an appealing visual and
sensual entity is given prominence through representation and the
choice of material. Chloe's World is a silent introspective depiction of
contemplative life. (Barbara Sansone, The Poetics of the intangible: a
conversation with Jaume Plensa , September 2010).
Jaume Plensa's solo exhibitions at the Nasher Sculpture Center in
Dallas; the Musée Picasso in Antibes; Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid and
the Galerie National du Jeu de Paume in Paris have confirmed his
status as one of the foremost contemporary sculptors. A large body of
his work can be seen until January 2012 in the stunning location of the
Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Born in Barcelona and currently living between
Paris and his native city, Plensa has undertaken a number of prestigious
public art projects around the world. In 2008, his glass sculpture
Breathing was dedicated as a memorial to fallen journalists on the
rooftop of the BBC Broadcasting House in London. Plensa has
experimented with a number of different mediums such as steel,
bronze, plastics and the use of animated features and LED lights
lending a vital visual element to his works.

catalogue & research
Olimpia Isidori
olimpia.isidori@sothebys.com
Bame Fierro March
bame.fierro@sothebys.com
157

photography
Barnaby Hindle
design
Cheryl Wooldridge
colour
James Stabler
Justin de Lavison
production co-ordinator
Neil Pond
printing
Pureprint
158

159

zadok ben-david 92
david breuer-weil 110
lynn chadwick 22, 86, 124
barry flanagan 58
eric goulder 98
charles hadcock 12
damien hirst 72, 80
ji yong-ho 120
richard hudson 28
yayoi kusama 34
rené magritte 68
ju ming 64, 102
takashi murakami 52
nadim karam 16, 136
jedd novatt 40
jaume plensa 140
marc quinn 114
pablo reinoso 130
pep sirvent 106
william turnbull 6
manolo valdés 46