MARLENE DUMAS | I Respect You But I Do Not Like You

Jack Tilton Gallery, New York
Private Collection, United States
Christie's, New York, 14 May 2008, Lot 308
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the paper tone is slightly brighter in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. The sheet is hinged verso to the backing board in all four corners. There are artist's pinholes in all four corner tips, along each horizontal edge - some of which have discoloured slightly - and to the top of the figure's head. All four edges of the sheet are deckled, with some tiny associated tears to the top edge, which look to be original. Close inspection reveals some slight discolouration to the right hand corner and some very light handling marks in places to the edges.
"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."

Critically acclaimed for producing works that highlight the humanity of the subject depicted, Marlene Dumas has fashioned an immediately recognisable and uniquely personal style situated halfway between abstraction and figuration, intimacy and distance, integration and separation. Her talent can also be credited for her ability to address social, political, and emotional themes, often in relation to her native South Africa, with an unprecedented amount of subtlety. This has allowed her to touch viewers from all around the world – an achievement that has established her as one of the most revered contemporary artists today. From the very beginning of her artistic career, Dumas established her preference for close-up portraits in which isolated subjects occupy the entirety of the space provided by the canvas, allowing intimacy to become her favoured mode of representation. I Respect You But I Do Not Like You, executed in 1994, allows viewers to scrutinise the facial expression of an unidentified man, pensively gazing outside of the frame of the work, communicating a myriad of emotions through his body language. The man’s head, set against an otherwise neutral background, is painted in hazy anthracite hues concocted by an astute melange of ink and acrylic. While the use of ink allows for sharp focal points such as eyes to stand out from the composition, the use of heavily washed out doses of paint allow deep shadows to add character and feeling to the individual represented.    

The inextricable expression captured in I Respect You But I Do Not Like You, conveyed through the unison of steady lines and blurry leaks of watered down paint, clearly attests to the artist’s infallible ability to generate emotive responses from viewers. Indeed, laying eyes on the present work activates an animating force that compels viewers to approach the figure and enter into communion with him, thus engaging in a poignant and disconcerting relationship of immediate intimacy.