- 159
ANTONY GORMLEY | SLEW
Estimate
250,000 - 350,000 GBP
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Description
- Antony Gormley
- SLEW
- cast iron
- 173 by 52.2 by 43 cm. 68 1/8 by 20 1/2 by 17 in.
- Executed in 2014.
Provenance
Xavier Hufkens Gallery, Brussels
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Condition
Colour: The colour in the catalogue illustration is fairly accurate. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Close inspection reveals some superficial scuffs and burnishing in isolated places, most notably to the outer edges. There is some slight oxidation in places.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Expressing quiet contemplation, the body posture of Slew evokes a feeling of arrested internal movement, with head resting tightly on a single fist and the torso twisting between head and hip. The sculpture is an example of Antony Gormley's Cube Works series (2012 - 2018). Intrigued by the ways in which iron pyrite naturally aggregates, the artist began to experiment by using offset cubes to create body masses. The aim was to translate the volumes of the body into strict cubic frames or solids.
The cube's rigid geometry and ability to be stacked has allowed it to become the basis of modernist construction and rational measurement. Using it here as the ground to evoke strong emotion, this work is powerful proof of the artist's claim that 'as the work becomes more abstract it engages our empathy more completely'.
Implying a dialogue between human nature and planetary matter this lifesize work is cast in iron, an earth material identical to the core of the planet and which when exposed at its surface reacts to time and the elements, fusing both into the meaning and material of the sculpture.
The cube's rigid geometry and ability to be stacked has allowed it to become the basis of modernist construction and rational measurement. Using it here as the ground to evoke strong emotion, this work is powerful proof of the artist's claim that 'as the work becomes more abstract it engages our empathy more completely'.
Implying a dialogue between human nature and planetary matter this lifesize work is cast in iron, an earth material identical to the core of the planet and which when exposed at its surface reacts to time and the elements, fusing both into the meaning and material of the sculpture.