Contemporary Art

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Lot 248
  • 248

Christo

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 USD
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Description

  • Christo
  • Surrounded Islands (Project for Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida)
  • i.  signed, titled, inscribed, and dated 1983; inscribed 99A on the reverse
    ii. inscribed 99B on the reverse
  • charcoal, wax crayon, pastel, pencil, acrylic, aerial photograph, paper collage, and fabric collage on board; in 2 parts
  • i. 28 1/4 by 11 1/4 in. 71.8 by 28.6 cm.
  • ii. 28 1/4 by 22 1/4 in. 71.8 by 56.5 cm.

Provenance

Private Collection, Miami

Condition

This work is in very good condition overall. There is some slight undulation to the fabric elements. There is some glue residue evident around areas of the collage. The extreme corners are lifting slightly. Framed in artist's Plexiglas box frame.
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

“I am an artist, and I have to have courage ... Do you know that I don't have any artworks that exist? They all go away when they're finished. Only the preparatory drawings, and collages are left, giving my works an almost legendary character. I think it takes much greater courage to create things to be gone than to create things that will remain." Christo

Completed in 1983, The Surrounded Islands is one of the most celebrated and successfully realized projects by the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. For the event and installation, eleven islands in Biscayne Bay, Miami were veiled with 6.5 million square feet of floating, pink woven fabric.  The fabric surrounded the surface of the water and continued 200 feet beyond each island into the bay.  Although there were eleven islands, there were two instances where two islands were covered together as one formation.  In preparation, seventy-nine custom-sewn patterns of the polypropylene fabric were assembled to conform to the unique contours of the land. 

The Surrounded Islands project officially commenced on May 4th after two years of collaboration between teams consisting of marine biologists, attorneys, and animal experts. Funding for the project was made possible through the artists’ sales of preparatory drawings and collages. The luminous pink fabric remained for two weeks. The brightly color fabric stretched out over 7 miles of land and water.