Antonio Dias (b.1944)

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner (circa 1975)

This work is in original condition. The white part of the top edge seems to be slightly dirty, and it is quite possible that the work has never been cleaned. There are no damages. No paint loss or need for any conservation is apparent. The work can easily be hung in its current state.
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.

Antonio Dias has demonstrated a commitment to socially engaged art throughout his career. Since coming of age in Brazil during the tumultuous dictatorship of the 1960s, Dias has delved into a multitude of visual puns and coded language to suggest unspeakable violence and political oppression. As the producer of a highly conceptual oeuvre replete with formal elegance and a minimalist aesthetic, his works remain darkly humorous, whether referencing Latin American politics or sexuality. 

Having experimented with diverse techniques, Antonio Dias is described by critic and curator Paulo Herkenhoff as the “main link between the neoconcretists and the artists of the 1970s: between Hélio Oiticica and Cildo Meireles, Lygia Clark and Tunga, the non-objects and Waltercio Caldas, not to forget Ivens Machado and Iole de Freitas, or even those who worked alongside Meireles in the 1960s, such as Barrio, Raimundo Colares and Antonio Manuel...between conceptual art and the tradition of concrete poetry.”