John Chamberlain

PaceWildenstein, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2005

New York, PaceWildenstein, John Chamberlain: Recent Sculpture, October - December 2005, cat. no. 1, pp. 8-9, illustrated in color

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There are scattered abrasions, spots of rusting and chips to the paint, as is expected of the artist's use of found medium. All elements are stable and secure.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

John Chamberlain is best known as an icon of 20th century American sculpture who redefined the notions of modeling, casting and volume. He brought to life a combination of organic notions of composition, a focus on the incorporation of large-scale painterly shapes and aggressive manipulations of raw materials that resulted in visually stunning three-dimensional artworks directly descendant from the visual idioms embraced by Abstract Expressionist artists Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline. Chamberlain’s talent lies in creating formally challenging sculptures from the long discarded detritus of American consumerism, automobiles, into raggedly amorphous artworks that viscerally incorporate the act of destruction as a pre-requisite to the act of creation.
 
The present lot is comprised of an amalgamation of delicately crushed car parts and scrap metal which have been doused in hard, shiny Pop-like colors and fused together to create a voluminous tension that is seamless in energy but not in surface. The composition is formed by chance, a randomly compatible fit of individually created components. These casual junctions allow for multiple viewpoints that give way to various interpretations of the work’s formal definition. Fusing spontaneity, destruction and chance, Chamberlain uses the car as both medium and tool to create this uniquely vertical object with figurative qualities including outstretched “arms” and possible facial features.

Executed in powerfully twisted and contorted steel, the work exudes an impact of visceral strength, authoritatively dominating the space in which it is placed. The colors are automatically integrated into the work to give clear visual evidence of each part’s interaction with the others. Vibrant yellow and vivid red contrast with the gleaming silver of the chromium-plated steel grills, whilst exuberant sweeps of green and pink adorn a section of the curved steel, reflecting Chamberlain’s growing interest in the possibilities and patterns of graffiti during this later period.