Sergio Camargo

Galerie Gromholt, Oslo
Norges By of Herredsforbund, Oslo
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Oslo, Kunstnernes Hus, Op-Kunst, 1968, no. 20

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is warmer and richer in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There are light dust fibres adhering to the surface in places. There is evidence of extremely light wear to some of the wooden elements. Upon very close inspection, there are three minute fly spots on one of the central elements, apparent in the catalogue illustration. Visible only upon extremely close inspection, there are three minute specks of inpainting; two specks towards the top left corner and a further speck to the centre left of the lower left-hand quadrant.
"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."

An astoundingly rare example of Sergio Camargo’s signature reliefs, Construction Bleu, with its deep monochromatic blue diverges from the artist’s usually white constructions while retaining the rough, textured surface that earned him early critical acclaim and unparalleled authority within the canon of Latin American art.

A seminal member of the Brazilian avant-garde, Camargo's most influential mentor was Lucio Fontana who founded the Academia Privada de Altamira in Buenos Aires where Camargo studied in the late 1940s. Although having always remained relatively independent, Camargo was part of the Constructivist and Neo-Constructivist generation, making and shaping Latin American art history in the mid 20^th Century alongside Lygia Clark and Helio Oiticica.


Executed by the time Camargo relocated to Paris in 1961, the current “vibrating wall” is both highly singular within his practice and a perfect example of the artist’s repertoire. (Leslie Bethell, The Cambridge History of Latin America, vol. 10, Cambridge 1995, p. 452) The pattern resulting from the cylindrical pieces of diagonally cut wood resembles an organic crystalline structure, whilst their carefully composed assemblage creates a rhythmic optical effect highlighted by the play of shadow and light along the surface.

The prodigious accumulation of angled sections featured in Construction Bleu becomes “versatile spontaneous rhythms/active shadows, rigid presences/lyric surfaces, skin cadence”, thus epitomising the artists complex sensory language. (Sergio Camargo, Preciosas coisas vas fundamentais. Escritos do Sergio Camargo, São Paolo, 2010, pp. 28-9)