Original Lithograph "Proposal for a Civic Monument in the Form of Two Windows," 1982 by Claes Oldenburg

Proposal for a Civic Monument in the Form of Two Windows, 1982; Lithograph on Arches Cover paper; Initialed CO and dated '82 in pencil bottom center and numbered 54/75 in pencil lower left; Published by Anthology Film Archives, NY; Catalog Raisonne: Axsom 179; Size - Sheet 28" x 40", Frame 33" x 45"; Framed with a linen liner, black wood frame, and UV plexiglass.

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Claes Oldenburg is an American sculptor living and working in New York and he is best known for his public art installations, which usually feature either very large replicas or soft sculpture versions of everyday objects. Many of the works were made in collaboration with his wife of 32 years, Coosje van Bruggen; who passed away in 2009.

Close up of the image of the two windows and the surrounding landscape.

Oldenburg began working with with the idea of soft sculpture in 1957, when he completed a free-hanging piece made from a woman's stocking stuffed with newspaper (titled later as "Sausage"). In 1959, he began to make figures, signs, and objects out of papier-mâché, sacking, and other rough materials. This was followed in 1961 by objects created out of plaster and enamel, drawing inspiration from food and cheap clothing. In the 1960s he was very involved with the "Happenings" movement and his own productions were entitled "Ray Gun Theater." His artistic collaboration involved other members of the art scene and included: Lucas Samaras, Tom Wesselman, Carolee Schneemann, Oyvind Fahlstrom, Richard Artschwager, art dealer Annina Nosei, art critic Barbara Rose, and screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer. In December 1961, he rented a storefront on Manhattan's Lower East Side to house "The Store;" a month-long installation he had first presented at the Martha Jackson Gallery in New York, stocked with rough sculptures of consumer goods.

Close up of the edition number, 54/75.

Close up of the initials CO (Claes Oldenburg) and the date '82

Oldenburg moved to Los Angeles, California in 1963. By 1965 he had turned his attention to drawings and projects for imagined outdoor monuments. This work, "Proposal for a Civic Monument in the Form of Two Windows" from 1982 is continuing his work that was begun back in 1965. By this time Oldenburg is at his height in his draftsman abilities, and his skill can be seen in this large format lithograph. The size of the windows is extraordinary, given the scale derived from the trees in the background and the people in the foreground. Although Oldenburg is most noted for his outdoor installations, this work showcases his immense artistic skill working in a 2-D medium.

Framed "Proposal for a Civic Monument in the Form of Two Windows," 1982 by Claes Oldenburg.

#Oldenburg #ClaesOldenburg #Popart #Warhol #CoosjevanBruggen #untitledartgallery #civicmonument #brokenwindow #sculpture

Original Authenticated Graphite Drawing of "Miguel Bose," 1983 by Andy Warhol

Miguel Bose; 1983; Graphite on paper; With the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps and numbered 115.398 and D1277 on the reverse; Size - Sheet: 31 3/4" x 23 3/4"; Unframed.

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Miguel Bose was born in Panama into a very artistic and culturally diverse family. His father was Luis Miguel Dominguin, a famous Spanish bullfighter and his mother was Lucia Bose, an Italian actress. Miguel's godfather was Luchino Visconti the famous Italian director, and Pablo Picasso was the godfather to his sister Paola Dominguin. Not only was Pablo Picasso a close friend of the family, but so was the world famous author Ernest Hemingway. Miguel continued his family's artistic slant by becoming a Latin Grammy-winning Spanish/Italian musician and actor.

Andy Warhol Estate stamp, Foundation stamp, and Authentication number on verso.

In the summer of 1983 Miguel Bose was interviewed and photographed by Andy Warhol for the cover of "Interview Magazine." Bose, during the same year, commissioned Warhol to design the cover of his ninth album "Made In Spain." This work pictured is a unique and original Andy Warhol graphite on paper portrait drawing of Miguel Bose that was created during that commissioned project. The drawing is quite large and encompasses most of the 31 3/4" x 23 3/4" sheet of handmade paper. 

#warhol #andywarhol #miguelbose #madeinspain #art #artcollecting #picasso #pablopicasso #madeinspain #Bose #untitledartgallery

Original and Authenticated Graphite Drawing on Paper of "Jock Soto" by Andy Warhol

Jock Soto; 1982; Graphite on paper; With the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps and numbered 115.294 and D1038 on the reverse; Size - Sheet: 31 5/8" x 23 7/8"; Unframed.

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Jock Soto was born in Gallup, New Mexico, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. His mother is Navajo, his father is Puerto Rican; and while a student at the School of American Ballet he danced the role of Luke in Peter Martins’ The Magic Flute. He transferred to the New York City Ballet (joining in 1981) and made his debut, in the same role, as Luke in "The Magic Flute" the following January. By 1984 he was promoted to soloist, and then in 1985 promoted to principal dancer.

Jock Soto danced featured roles in over 40 ballets, of which more than 35 were specially created for him. His career on the New York ballet stage spanned an amazing 24 years! He danced the role of a parent in the 1993 film version of "The Nutcracker;" a version based on the New York City Ballet production choreographed by George Balanchine. Soto has been a permanent member of the faculty at School of American Ballet since 1996. He gave his farewell performance on June 19, 2005, and today he teaches partnering and technique classes to intermediate and advanced students at the School of American Ballet. Soto published his memoir entitled "Every Step You Take" in 2011, and he and fellow ballet dancer Heather Watts published a 1998 cook book entitled "Our Meals."

Because of Jock Soto's extraordinary career in the ballet, a feature length documentary film about his life was released in 2007. The film was written and directed by Gwendolen Cates and explores Soto's connection with his ethnic heritage and follows him through the last two years of his career, up to his retirement in 2005.

From the PBS.org website:

"Water Flowing Together is an intimate portrait of an important American artist, New York City Ballet’s Jock Soto, one of the most influential modern ballet dancers. Soto graced the stage of the New York State Theater for 24 years, partnering such renowned ballerinas as Heather Watts, Darci Kistler and Wendy Whelan. On the eve of his retirement in 2005, The New York Times wrote: "Ballet is a man called Jock"."

To view the trailer for "Water Flowing Together" click on the video below:

Jock Soto on Andy Warhol, from an interview in 2008:

"I had met [Warhol pal] Paige Powell through a friend, and she called me one day and said, "Would you like to have dinner with me and Andy?" And I said, "Hell, yeah!" I must have been maybe 20. We went to the Algonquin, which I thought was really fancy, and I ended up inviting ten friends. And there he was, sitting across from me. He (Warhol) could be fragile. He loved to cuss, and he loved to ask dirty questions. He fell in love with Heather Watts—he loved her eyes—and he wanted to take our pictures. I remember going to the Factory so he could take my picture to give it to me for Christmas. And when he died, Paige called us to say we had to come to the Factory fast and get our portraits before they got taken away. Heather and I got them and we couldn't fit them in a taxi, so we got on the bus! People were staring at us. But the portrait is still hanging in my apartment."

Close up of the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps and foundation numbers on the verso.

This is an wonderful portrait of the famed ballet legend Jock Soto by Pop artist Andy Warhol. The portrait is an original graphite drawing on paper created in 1982, and the work was acquired from the Andy Warhol Foundation. It is a large piece, with the sheet measuring 31 5/8" x 23 7/8," and it is authenticated with the 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Authorized by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' inkstamps; and numbered 115.294 and D1038 on the verso.

#AndyWarhol #Warhol #Soto #JockSoto #Warholfoundation #art #Warholdrawing #artcollecting #drawing #popart #nycityballet #GeorgeBalanchine #Balanchine #ballet #untitledartgallery #estateofAndyWarhol #AndyWarholFoundation #authenticatedWarhol

"Franz Kafka," 1980 by Andy Warhol

Franz Kafka from Ten Portraits Of Jews Of The Twentieth Century, 1980; Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board; Signed Andy Warhol and numbered AP 7/30 in pencil lower left; Published by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., NY, Jonathan A Editions, Tel Aviv, Israel; Size - Sheet 40" x 32"; Catalog Raisonne: Feldman/Schellmann: II.226; Unframed.

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Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883 – June 3, 1924) was born in Prague to a middle class Jewish family. He studied law and worked in the insurance industry when he began to write mainly in the evenings, before moving to Berlin in 1923. He passed away soon after the move of tuberculosis, and his good friend Max Brod published the vast majority of his work posthumously. Kafka wrote in German and was the author of both novels and short stories. At the time of his passing he was not highly regarded by his peers, however during WWII his work became highly regarded in German literary circles. He has since been viewed by critics as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century. Most of his works such as "Die Verwandlung" (The Metamorphosis), "Der Process" (The Trial), and "Das Schloss" (The Castle), deal with concepts of alienation, physical and psychological brutality, parent–child conflicts, mazes of bureaucracy, and mystical transformations. Kafka's influence extends to not only literature, but musical and theatrical compositions as well. 

Close up of the edition number and the Andy Warhol signature.

In October 1980, an exhibit featuring portraits of "famous Jews" opened at the Jewish Museum in New York and it featured silk-screen prints and acrylic paintings based on known photographs of the following Jewish figures: Gertrude Stein, Franz Kafka, Sarah Bernhardt, the Marx Brothers, Martin Buber, Louis Brandeis, George Gershwin, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, and Golda Meir. The colors that were chosen, as well as the specific forms and their placement in the compositions, complimented the individual portraits perfectly. For instance, Albert Einstein was created from all black, white, and mainly grey colors; which was ideal for the "grey matter" of the brain. The Gershwin was wonderfully composed and reinforced the idea of musical lyricism. However, one of the most successful works in the set was Andy Warhol's portrait of Franz Kafka. 

Publishers stamp verso.

From "Andy Warhol: His Kafka and "Jewish Geniuses", 2000" by Bluma Goldstein:

"On the one hand is the sociocultural and political significance of the confluence of Warhol's successful endeavor to market -- in a profitable venue -- the portraits of what he referred to in his diaries as "the Ten Jewish Geniuses" and the eagerness of major Jewish museums to mount and advertise the exhibit and to sell expensive portfolios of the exhibited serigraphs. On the other hand are the cultural and political implications of Warhol's rendition of one of the more interesting portraits, that of Franz Kafka, and the ways in which it supports a rather commonplace view of the writer by altering, even effacing the photo-graph on which the portrait is based and thereby also obscuring other, more complex, compelling readings of Kafka's life and writings, a practice shared by many interpreters of the writer and his work."

This work is an exception example of Andy Warhol at his best! The bold and somber blue tones, as well as the prism like triangular projects across the forehead and face, reflect the conflict in Kafka's writings. The sheet is in mint condition with the Publisher's stamp verso.

#Warhol #AndyWarhol #Kafka #FranzKafka #untitledartgallery #PopArt #Signednumbered #Jews #JewishPortrait #BlumaGoldstein #RonaldFeldman #MaxBrod #JewishMuseum

Arman "Glow Worms Of Musik, The Sounds Of The Violin Burst Through It's Body And Up It's Neck," 1987

Glow Worms Of Musik, The Sounds Of The Violin Burst Through It's Body And Up It's Neck, 1987; Serigraph on Rives vellum paper; Signed Arman in pencil lower right and numbered 50/200 in pencil lower left; Published by GKM Editions, Sweden with stamp lower left; Size: Sheet 18" x 16 1/4", Frame 22 1/4" x 24 1/4"; Catalog Raisonne: Otmezguine/Moreau: 250A, pg. 296; Framed with an acid free linen liner, a silver and black wood frame, and UV conservation clear glass.

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New Realism was an art movement that started in France in 1960 with Pierre Restany writing it's original manifesto which proclaimed: "Nouveau Realisme -new ways of perceiving the real." This group of artists was interested in new ways in which to create art, and in the process subvert the status quo. The artist Arman was one of the original founding members and he was known for his "accumulations" and for his destruction/recomposition of ordinary objects. Arman featured objects with a strong "identity" such as musical instruments, with the violin being his most famous subject matter. In this work the violin is first deconstructed and it's individual components are constructed in outline by bold brushstrokes of color.  Arman has titled this work, "Glow Worms Of Musik, The Sounds Of The Violin Burst Through It's Body And Up It's Neck" which further enhances the concept of the short solid color lines enhancing the concept of deconstruction or "bursting;" and re-enforcing the idea of sound and music.

Framed Arman - "Glow Worms Of Musik, The Sounds Of The Violin Burst Through It's Body And Up It's Neck," 1987

#Arman #violin #violinandbow #newrealism #nouveaurealisme #art #artcollecting #lithograph #signedlithograph #untitledartgallery #popart #PierreRestany