Frank Gehry

from an edition of four

Fred Hoffman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 1992

Kurt W. Forster, Frank O. Gehry, New York, 1999, p. 112 (for related "Fish"lamp designs executed in Coldcore)
J. Fiona Ragheb, ed., Frank Gehry, Architect, New York, 2001, pp. 81 and 83 (for related "Fish" lamp designs executed in Coldcore)
Mildred Friedman,  ed., Gehry Talks:  Architecture + Process, New York, 2002, p. 137 (for a related "Fish" lamp designed for the University of Minnesota Art and Teaching Museum)
Francesco Dal Co and Kurt W. Forster, Frank O. Gehry: The Complete Works, Milan, 2003, p. 325 (for a closely related glass "Fish" sculpture created for the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis) 

Overall in very good condition. The glass sculptural element is attached to a circular glass support, which is fitted in the top portion of the base. The glass sculpture in excellent condition with minor surface dirt to the recessed elements of the design. The base and inset lighting element are original to the design and in good condition. The base with a few very minor surface scratches. The foot of the base is executed in glass that presents in a slightly a different tone than the glass used in the sculptural element, but appears consistent with the design. This offering is a rare and expressive rendering of an important figural subject with Gehry’s work. In the particular this fish sculpture is executed in a manner such that the glass elements appear as scales and the fish seems weightless and energetic. Due to the fragile nature of this lamp, special handling and/or packing may be required during the shipping process. Please inquire directly with the 20th Century Design or Post Sale Services Departments if you have any questions or require assistance regarding the shipping of this item.
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.

Frank Gehry's exploration of the fish motif was introduced as an aspect of his architecture in the 1981 Smith residence, and further developed as a significant theme over the next ten years in both his architecture and design projects.   At first a witty retort to what Gehry perceived as an exaggerated neoclassic revival in architecture, the fish motif recurred and evolved: it became an endless fascination with the perfection of a fish shape in motion and its ability to initiate organic form into architecture. The connection between Gehry's fish lamps and his architecture is apparent through this present lot, which follows the same design as his Fishdance Restaurant in Kobe, Japan.  As a lighting subject, the fish motif was introduced by Gehry in his earliest experiments with ColorCore, a revolutionary DuPont product, in 1984.