Gagosian Gallery, New York
Private Collection, Seattle

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling to the sides and edges. Under ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed.
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.

Rudolf Stingel’s series of majestic silver paintings call into question the vast weight of art history while ironically forcing the viewer to venerate the artworks' visually enveloping optical intensity. Untitled from 2010 beautifully encapsulates the epitome of Stingel’s mechanical process shown by its alluring iridescent surface and undulating gradations of silver tonality. Shortly after arriving in the New York art scene in 1987, Stingel transitioned to painting enamel works on canvas that critique the history of Modern painting and the studio process. By publishing a limited-edition art book titled Instructions in 1989, the artist set out to subvert the notion of artistic genius and the conventions of the painting medium and its storied history. Stingel’s paintings call upon Warholian materials of industry, which he fully deconstructs and democratizes in his step-by-step instructional manual. Brilliant silver enamel is sprayed over layers of paint and mesh, which create accented lines and a spatially ambiguous atmosphere which crests across the monumental canvas. Stingel’s technique affords an element of chance which is crucial to the artistic ideology of his silver paintings. His work commodifies and demystifies the aura of ‘painterliness’ and attempts to access the elementary symbolism of the painted surface. As noted by Francesco Bonami, "By disrupting painting's assumption of material, process, and placement, Stingel not only bursts open the conventions of painting, but creates unique ways of thinking about the medium and its reception." (Exh. Cat., Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Rudolf Stingel, 2007, p. 10) The brilliance of the burnished silvery veneer in the present lot symbolizes Stingel’s ceaseless engagement with a medium supposedly declared dead decades ago. Untitled is a beautiful testament to Stingel’s technical exploration in the field of abstraction and his ceaseless interrogation of traditional artistic mediums.