Details

Provenance

Michael Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles Van de Weghe Fine Art, New York

Exhibited

London, Gagosian Gallery; New York, Gagosian Gallery, Andy Warhol B&W Paintings Ads and Illustrations 1985 - 1986 , February - March 2002, p. 59, illustrated Monaco, Grimaldi Forum, SuperWarhol , July - August 2003, cat no. 251, p. 488, illustrated Beacon, Dia, Dia's Andy: Through the Lens of Patronage , May - April 2006

Literature

Charles Stuckey, Andy Warhol, Heaven and Hell are Just One Breath Away! Late Paintings and Related Works, 1984-1986, New York, 1992, p. 70, illustrated Condition This work is in very good condition overall. The generally clean canvas is slightly loose on the stretcher. There are scattered creases visible throughout the composition. Under UV light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. 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. Catalogue Note In the early 1980s, Andy Warhol returned to what one might call his roots, finding inspiration for the series called Black & White Paintings . This series was largely based on scraps of advertising matter – classified ads and illustrations from fliers – which he had collected over the years, mostly from the early and mid 1960s when he was rising to fame. Some of the sources contain crude images which are so simple and so effective, that they function quite well as symbols of the messages they carry ( Hamburger , Puma Invader ).  Some sources incorporate lettering; some, like Somebody Wants To Buy Your Apartment Building! , are just lettering.  In some cases, such as Self Defense , the photomechanical transposition of the image is replaced with a hand-drawn interpretation.  Now, it is impossible to know if the crude effect originates entirely with the referenced ad, or if the artist has further distorted the imagery with his own gestural style.  As a result, we are pulled further away from the intent of the original ad – to convey an important message – and lost without bearings in yet another sort of enigmatic Andy Warhol painting.

Catalog summary

Andy Warhol Self Defense synthetic polymer paint and silkscreen ink on canvas 80 by 72 in. 203.2 by 182.9 cm. Executed in 1985-86, this work is stamped by The Estate of Andy Warhol and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc. and numbered PA.10.552 on the overlap. Provenance Michael Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles Van de Weghe Fine Art, New York Exhibited London, Gagosian Gallery; New York, Gagosian Gallery, Andy Warhol B&W Paintings Ads and Illustrations 1985 - 1986 , February - March 2002, p. 59, illustrated Monaco, Grimaldi Forum, SuperWarhol , July - August 2003, cat no. 251, p. 488, illustrated Beacon, Dia, Dia's Andy: Through the Lens of Patronage , May - April 2006 Literature Charles Stuckey, Andy Warhol, Heaven and Hell are Just One Breath Away! Late Paintings and Related Works, 1984-1986, New York, 1992, p. 70, illustrated Condition This work is in very good condition overall. The generally clean canvas is slightly loose on the stretcher. There are scattered creases visible throughout the composition. Under UV light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. 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. Catalogue Note In the early 1980s, Andy Warhol returned to what one might call his roots, finding inspiration for the series called Black & White Paintings . This series was largely based on scraps of advertising matter – classified ads and illustrations from fliers – which he had collected over the years, mostly from the early and mid 1960s when he was rising to fame. Some of the sources contain crude images which are so simple and so effective, that they function quite well as symbols of the messages they carry ( Hamburger , Puma Invader ).  Some sources incorporate lettering; some, like Somebody Wants To Buy Your Apartment Building! , are just lettering.  In some cases, such as Self Defense , the photomechanical transposition of the image is replaced with a hand-drawn interpretation.  Now, it is impossible to know if the crude effect originates entirely with the referenced ad, or if the artist has further distorted the imagery with his own gestural style.  As a result, we are pulled further away from the intent of the original ad – to convey an important message – and lost without bearings in yet another sort of enigmatic Andy Warhol painting.