Post-war and contemporary art at Christie's - today!
ARTinvestment.RU   13 мая 2009

Today in New York will auction the evening of works by modern and postwar art Christie's. Of special interest are items from the collection of Betty Freeman

Today, May 13, in New York will be evening auction «postwar and contemporary art» Christie's , where you can buy works by prominent authors such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Jean-Michel Basque Alexander Kolder, Willem de Kuninga, Mark Rothko and Jeff Koons.

most interesting strings make up the auction items from the collection of Betty Freeman. Top lot in this section will diptych David Hockney «Housewife of Beverly Hills» ( estimeyt 7-10 million dollars ) 1966-1967 years. Laura Paulson, director of the International Department «postwar and contemporary art» Christie's: «Throughout his life, Betty Freeman has had a true passion for art, which it has paid great attention. Epic work of David Hockney "Housewife of Beverly Hills" is a cult of the artist. It has become a kind and timeless award Freeman, a modern Medici, which will be remembered as an influential patron of contemporary art ».

Marc Porter, president of the American Branch of Christie's: «Christie's was able to present this unique collection of works of art at auction due to the professional competence of experts, creative marketing solutions and a long fruitful relationship with the client, not through guarantees or other financial schemes ».

Cloth David Hockney «Housewife of Beverly Hills», affects its size (more than three meters long and nearly two meters high), depicts California housewife 1960, standing on the terrace of his lavishly furnished home. The modern style of painting corresponds subtle and sensuous minimalistichnoy plot, the center of which - itself Betty Freeman. Moved to Los Angeles, the artist turned to Freeman with a request to allow him to work in the back yard of her home by the pool for the series, which were subsequently identified as the most famous stage artist, - «California dream». Shortly after beginning work Hockney decided to concentrate on the image itself Freeman, realizing that she, like many other residents of Los Angeles, where he had met, was an integral part of the space in which it dwells, just as space is an integral part of its own.

full penetration and a powerful silence, painting «Housewife of Beverly Hills» attracts the attention of not only the inherent style of the artist flake space, but also demonstrates his style of using a sharp light and to limit saturated colors. This is the style of David Hockney paintings are distinguished from his contemporaries - British artists of the post-war period. This picture, written in the years 1966-1967, depicts Betty Freeman caught fire in the bright pink dress, standing on a covered terrace of his house. On the opposite wall, Hockney has depicted the head of antelope, comical Freeman opposing it.

«Housewife of Beverly Hills» has become a central piece in the collection of Betty Freeman. The painting not only reflects the essence of California lifestyle, but also a sign of a long friendship between the model and artist.

Dear and generous supporter of avant-garde contemporary music, Betty Freeman also have the propensity to work of contemporary artists who were able to go beyond the boundaries of traditional painting and sculpture. She began to collect works of art in the 1950's, and in its collections immediately began to dominate the work of abstract expressionists. Betty Freeman helped composers and knotted friendship with artists, including David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Dan Flavin, Clifford Still and Sam Francis, supporting their career advancement. Freeman herself was a good photographer, published and exhibited portraits of famous musicians and composers.

When you create pictures «Fun (Funny Game)» ( 4-7 million dollars ) sources of inspiration for Roy Lichtenstein had his work in 1962 «The girl with the ball», advertising posters and comics, as well as works by the greatest artists in the history of Pablo Picasso. The painting «Fun» story famous paintings by Picasso «Bather with Beach Ball», which is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, seen through the prism of pop-art style.

Another top lot of trades will «Portrait Manx Ray» (1974) Andy Warhol ( 2-4 million dollars ), which is one of the most remarkable portraits created by Warhol . Image of Mann Ray is a true testimony of admiration of a famous artist by another. This portrait now joins an extensive series of Warhol works, in which a single concept - an image the artist as a celebrity, its inclusion in a number of idols, brilliant and religious figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Mick Jagger, Muhammad Ali.

Job «Eraser» ( 1,4-1,8 million dollars ) is a revolutionary approach to Klas Oldenburg sculpture, which he chase everyday objects, making a strong soft a little overwhelming. The enormous size of the work was completed in 1976, it is consistent with the usual style of the sculptor, said of advancing the use of new materials for the author.

rare works hand of Sam Francis in 1954 under the title «Gray» ( 2,5-3,5 million dollars ) will also be offered for auction. After the first fateful show at the Dorothy Miller «Twelve Americans» in the New York Museum of Modern Art, this work was bought by Betty Freeman directly from the artist, with whom it has close and friendly relations.

Selected works from the collection of Betty Freeman will also be presented at the afternoon auction «postwar and contemporary art» May 14, 2009.

Source: Press Releases Christie's