27th Mar, 2017 15:00
Historic, Modern & Contemporary Art
165
Edoardo Villa (Italy/South Africa 1915-2011)
Abstract 2
painted steel
Artwork date: circa 1998
Sold for R153,468
Estimated at R150,000 - R200,000
Condition Report
Good.
Please note, we are not qualified conservators and these reports give our opinion as to the general condition of the works. We advise that bidders view the lots in person to satisfy themselves with the condition of prospective purchases.
painted steel
Artwork date: circa 1998
(1)
56 x 120 x 50 cm
Notes:
This unusual dynamic relief sculpture by Edoardo Villa is constructed from a series of long thin cylindrical elements, each ending in a shallow hemispherical domed head. These circular silhouettes punctuate the lively and intricate relationship of these visually precariously joined elements. The stark graphic quality of this dramatic vertical relief makes one hold one’s breath as it reminds us of the sheer instability of a game of Pick Up Sticks.In an undated photograph of Villa and his lifelong assistant Lucas Legodi, seated outside Villa’s studio in Kew, Johannesburg, the sculpture is seemingly cascading down the wall behind them. The strong graphic qualities of the work and the way its linearity dynamically explores space evoke a notion of three-dimensional drawing: a series of lines suspended in space.With the above in mind, one cannot but be reminded of Picasso’s innovative linear drawings with their strong circular punctuated marks and resultant sculptures of 1928, which challenged the traditional volumetric nature of sculpture, and of which Villa would have been aware.The linearity of this work, produced so late in Villa’s career, is unusual as it harks back to his early steel pieces produced in the ‘60s for his first outdoor sculpture exhibition in Joubert Park. Abstract 2’s return to the earlier linear traits is a significant contrast to Villa’s better known volumetric works produced over a lifetime.
Karel Nel
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Auction: Historic, Modern & Contemporary Art, 27th Mar, 2017
The Inaugural Cape Auction offed a diverse range of top-quality historic, modern and contemporary works. With a focus on critically engaged art and a curated approach, seasoned and new collectors competed to acquire significant works.
Aspire’s commitment to the growth of the art market saw international records broken in recognition of exiled South African artists. Louis Maqhubela’s Exiled King, a definitive, politically motivated work, sold for R341,040 - three times his previous record, and Albert Adams’ Untitled (Four Figures with Pitchforks), his first appearance at auction, sold for R136,416. Top prices were also achieved for established artists including J.H Pierneef, William Kentridge, and Edoardo Villa, and contemporary artwork fared exceptionally with record prices for David Brown, Steven Cohen, Mohau Modisakeng, Moshekwa Langa, and Mikhael Subotzky.
Viewing
Friday 24 March 2017 | 10 am – 7 pm
Saturday 25 March 2017 | 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday 26 March 2017 | 10 am – 4 pm
Currency conversions are based on the exchange rate at the auction's start time and date. Bidders should verify the current exchange rate on the day of the sale. All invoices and payments must be made in South African Rands.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
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