Carl Andre

Estimate

150,000 - 200,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Carl Andre
The Way East West (Uncarved Blocks, 1975.57)
3 blocks of western red cedar, 2 horizontal pointing east and west respectively, adjacent to base of 1 vertical
Each: 12 by 12 by 36 in. 30.5 by 30.5 by 91.4 cm.
Overall: 36 by 36 by 60 in. 91.4 by 91.4 by 152.4 cm.
Executed in Vancouver in 1975, this work (Uncarved Blocks, 1975.57) is accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist and dated New York 13 Jun 85.

Provenance

Paula Cooper, Inc., New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in May 1985

Exhibited

Vancouver, Ace Gallery, Carl Andre: Uncarved Blocks, November - December 1975
Venice, Ace Gallery, Carl Andre, June 1976 (as part of the original Uncarved Blocks, no. 1975.67)

Literature

David Bourdon, Carl Andre Sculpture 1959-1977, New York, 1978, p. 34, illustrated (installation view of Ace Gallery, Carl Andre: Uncarved Blocks)
Exh. Cat., Haags Gemeentemuseum Den Haag; Eindhoven, Stedelijk van Abbemuseum, Carl Andre, January - March 1987, cat. no. 1975.57, pp. 94 and 95, illustrated (installation of Uncarved Blocks, no. 1975.67 at Ace Gallery)
Exh. Cat., Krefeld, Haus Lange and Haus Esters; Wolfsburg, Kunstmuseum, Carl Andre Sculptor 1996, February - April 1996, pp. 212, 213 and 255, illustrated in color (installation of Uncarved Blocks, no. 1975.67 at Ace Gallery, which is also illustrated in color on the cover)

Condition

This work is in very good condition overall. The untreated wood exhibits evidence of shrinkage and splitting cracks which are appear to be a result of the natural aging process. There are scattered old losses and abrasions along some of the edges and corners, consistent with works from this series.
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.

Catalogue Note

The present work is referenced as no. 1975.57 in the artist's archive and is one of 15 individual works that were originally part of Uncarved Blocks, no. 1975.67 which consisted of 47 identical wooden blocks distributed over a rectangular area 25 by 30 feet in a precisely determined configuration. The 47 unit work was created for a 1975 show at the Ace Gallery in Vancouver and was then divided up into fifteen separate works.

"The 15 works in the series consist of 12" x 12" x 36" timbers, the same size as the wood units in his earlier Element Series. Like the Elements, the Uncarved Blocks present the timbers in both vertical and horizontal axes, but never stacked. All the works in the Uncarved Blocks series feature a single vertical element. The variations occur in the number and position of the adjacent horizontal units. The horizontal timbers refer to the four points of the compass, while the vertical element alludes to the fifth point of the Chinese compass: the location of the observer." (David Bourdon, Carl Andre: Sculpture 1959-1977, New York, p. 62)