Nigel Cooke

Stuart Shave / Modern Art, London
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colours are fairly accurate in the catalogue illustration, although the overall tonality is slightly brighter and more vibrant in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. No restoration is apparent under ultraviolet light.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Nigel Cooke's work plays with the history and relevance of painting, exploring issues of representation, technique, abstraction, fantasy and realism. A technically brilliant painter, his fantasy urban environments like Dark Sun give Brueghel-like attention to minutiae details of city life like graffiti scrawls, litter and rats. It's a breathtaking contrast - like Dürer illustrating Roald Dahl. The low skyline, black sun and absence of human life all suggest a kind of post apocalyptic death and decay, yet in sprite of this, the work is not nihilistic or depressing. Rather the captivating beauty of its execution represents the rebirth of creativity and gives new relevance to the medium of painting after years of suffocating abstraction.