Wade Guyton

Galerie Francesca Pia, Zürich
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2006

Lyon, La Salle de Bains, Wade Guyton, 2006 

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the illustration fails to fully convey the natural grain of the wood apparent in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Upon close inspection, there are a few speck of wear in places and in raking light, a few isolated surface short rubs and hairline scratches. All other surface irregularities are in keeping with the artist's choice of medium and working process.
"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."

Untitled, dating from 2006, is a beautiful example of Wade Guyton’s sculptural oeuvre: a brilliantly conceived and executed piece that arguably represents the pinnacle of the artist’s non-printed work. Resting serenely against a wall, the strikingly scaled wooden panels that slot together, convey a sense of immense power and presence, impressively dominating their immediate surroundings. Four perfectly circular apertures mark the wood-grained surface at irregular intervals, reminiscent of the patterns created by the manipulation of a page through an Epson inkjet printer. Untitled is effectively a three-dimensional version of one of Guyton’s iconic large-scale works on linen canvas, imbued with a sculptural depth that seems to invest the theme with added gravitas and power.

Suzanne Cotter has stated that “Guyton’s practice has consistently defied easy categorisation, operating instead from within an accumulation of formal and conceptual slippages.” (Suzanne Cotter, ‘Wade Guyton, Double Negative,’ Parkett 83, 2008, p. 90). Sculptures are a relative rarity within Guyton’s oeuvre to date: Untitled is one of the most ambitious three-dimensional pieces ever made by the artist, marking a return to his earliest forms of creative experimentation. For his thesis show at Hunter in 1998, Guyton installed a large parquet covered box against the entrance of the gallery, causing a corresponding re-alignment of the adjacent space due to the blocking and re-routing of the regular entrance.  The result of these early sculptural experiments was the alteration of the traditional spatial plane, “Guyton’s discrete objects distorted their surroundings (and one another) through a treatment of surface and volume riven by reflection or implied projection.” (Scott Rothkopf, ‘Operating System’ in Exhibition Catalogue, New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, Wade Guyton OS, 2012-2013, p. 13). Untitled can be seen as the apex of Guyton’s sculptural creations, an outstanding work  from one of the most consistently inventive artists working today.