JOHN WESLEY | Turkeys

Fredericks Freiser Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by David Teiger in September 2000 

New York, Robert Elkon Gallery, John Wesley, October - November 1965
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Pop Art, October 1992 - January 1993
Frankfurt, Portikus; Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum; Kunstverein Ludwigsburg; Berlin, Daadgalerie, John Wesley: Paintings Gemalde Schilderijen, 1963-1992, July - October 1993, p. 48, illustrated in color
New York, Jessica Fredericks Gallery, Man & Beast: 1966-1996, April - May 1996
New York, MoMA PS1, John Wesley: Paintings 1961-2000, September 2000 - January 2001, pp. 13 and 46-47, illustrated in color
New York, Matthew Marks Gallery, Jo Baer and John Wesley: Shared Space, July - August 2010

"Collaborations: Tacita Dean, Thomas Demand, John Wesley," Parkett, No. 62, October 2001, p. 67, illustrated 
Germano Celant, John Wesley, Milan 2009, pp. XXIV and 73, illustrated in color

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of wear and handling to the edges of the canvas, with associated faint smudging on the extreme edges. Throughout the surface, there are minor inconsistencies within the canvas fibers that cause irregularities to the paint. This is specifically seen in the figure's left thumb region where there is an anomaly in the canvas stitching; this is believed to have preexisted the time of execution and does not fluoresce under Ultraviolet light. There is a 1/2 inch vertical abrasion in the lower left quadrant underneath the bear's extended arm. Under Ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed.
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.

"But wait. Things can get a lot stranger. A woman sleeps, curled up on her side under three pink turkeys walking on air. She is nuzzled by a bear which may be whispering in her ear. Why is this not surreal – probably the first life belt a writer would throw to himself? Are there shadows of high gothic here, as in Fuselli? Or of Gauguin's spirit of the dead watching? ... So this curious narrative is rendered factual by relocating us to an imaginative orbit where we accept enigmas as real."  Brian O'Doherty, "Wesley's Hip-Pop," in Exh. Cat., New York, MoMA PS1, John Wesley: Paintings 1961-2000, 2000, pp. 13-14