작품 상세

Pencil on paper USA, 1970s Paul Thek (1933-1988) - US-American painter, draftsman and installation artist Rare still life composition by the 'artists' artist' Paul Thek Original wooden frame; verso inscribed with pencil 'Jöllenbeck' Overall dimensions, framed: 29.5 x 24 cm Very good condition Provenance: Galerie Jöllenbeck, Essen, private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Paul Thek's oeuvre is characterized by an impressive multi-mediality and includes the categories of painting, drawing, photography, video, sculpture and large environments. In his works he usually reflects and critically comments current issues in art, literature, theater and religion. Not least due to his relevance to the present time, the American writer Susan Sontag finally dedicated her theoretical, time-critical analysis 'Art and Anti-art' (published in 1962) to her friend Paul Thek. The present pencil drawing depicts a tea pot that serves as a vase for a bunch of daffodils with their buds still closed. The unusual ensemble is extended by a plain tin can on the left, possibly to unbalance the composition against the classical manner. The spontaneous, unpretentious character of the subject seems related to Paul Thek's so called 'Newspaper Paintings' which he extensively produced form 1969 on. These works were mostly painted on double-sided newspaper pages, but occasionally also on lined paper of his notebooks. The use of these simple materials was in some extent due to the situational, transitory moment in which Thek felt to immediately express his thoughts. Today, these drawings are among the most sought after of his works, as they are evidence of the artist's great poetry and witty ease. The work is in very good condition and presented in the original frame. The paper is mounted onto the backing cardboard of the frame, using two small adhesive tapes to the upper verso corners of the paper. There is a minimal crease mark in the upper right corner and a very light water mark in the lower right corner. The right edge of the paper shows a tiny fox spot halfway up. The wooden frame is also in very good condition and its backing cardboard is verso inscribed 'Jöllenbeck'. The framed work measures 29.5 x 24 cm and the size of the paper is 25.5 x 21 cm. Paul Thek (1933-1988) Articles on Paul Thek often characterize him as the 'artists' artist' and pioneer of a new multimedia art movement in America, starting from the 1960s. Actually born as George Joseph Thek in Brooklyn, he started his artistic training in 1950; initially at the Art Students League of New York and thereafter at the Pratt Institute of Arts. From 1951 to 1954 Thek graduated at the Cooper Union School of Arts in New York. The following years required that he became active in various professions and different places such as Miami, New York and Rome. Between 1964 and 1967, the artist primarily worked on his so-called 'Technological Reliquaries' which are considered as a central part of his artistic output. His works from the late 1960s constituted a real sensation, as they were casts from different parts of human bodies. The 1970s eventually resulted in a highly productive collaboration with the photographer Peter Hujar in Italy. Among the best known works of Paul Thek are 'The Procession', 1969 (Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam), 'Pyramid/A Work in Progress', 1971 (Moderna Museet, Stockholm) and 'The Tomb - Death of a Hippie', 1967 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York). Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance. Due to the legal obligation for the resale royalty in the art market the following applies: As a result of its membership in the AV Kunst, Auctionata charges additionally to the hammer price the contribution to the AV Kunst of currently 2.1% of the revenues from the sale of fine arts and photographs pro rata towards the buyer. More information about royalty right in our T&C.