Beschreibung:

PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTION Robert Indiana Five from the series Numbers One through Zero 1980-2001 polychrome aluminum on steel base 72 x 72 1/2 x 36 in. (182.9 x 184.2 x 91.4 cm.) Stamp signed, numbered and dated "1980-2001 R. INDIANA 2/6" on the underside. This work is number 2 from an edition of 6 plus 4 artist's proofs.
Provenance Private Collection, 2001 Exhibited Indianapolis, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Permanent Collection (another example exhibited) China, Shanghai Art Museum, Robert Indiana July 5 - August 8, 2002 (another example exhibited) New York, Park Avenue Malls, Paul Kasmin Gallery, C & M Arts, Robert Indiana One through Zero, February 3 - May 3, 2003 (another example exhibited) Beverly Hills, City Hall,Installation of Ten Monumental NUMBERS by Robert Indiana at Beverly Hills City Hall, September 2004 - May 2005 (another example exhibited) London, Waddington Galleries, Robert Indiana Paintings and Sculpture 1961-2003, September 29 - October 23, 2004 (another example exhibited) Seoul, Seoul Museum of Art,Robert Indiana a Living Legend, March 11 - April 30, 2006 (another example exhibited) Milan, PAC-Padiglione di Arte Contemporanea,Robert Indiana a Milano, July 4 - September 14, 2008 (another example exhibited) Literature Robert Indiana exh. cat., Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, 2002, p. 88 (illustrated) Vogel, Carol,“Running Numbers,"New York Times, December 12, 2002 Robert Indiana Paintings and Sculpture 1961-2003, Waddington Galleries, London, 2004, pp. 11 and 68 (illustrated) Robert Indiana a Living Legend, exh. cat., Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, 2006, p. 55 (illustrated) E. Cohen, ed.,Robert Indiana New York: Rizzoli, 2006, pp. 86 and 295 (illustrated) Robert Indiana a Milano, exh. cat., PAC-Padiglione di Arte Contemporanea, Milan, 2008, pp. 111-112 (illustrated) Catalogue Essay “ I’ve always been fascinated by numbers. Before I was seventeen years old, I had lived in twenty-one diferent houses. In my mind, each of those houses had a number.” ROBERT INDIANA FIVE, from the series NUMBERS,unites form and content in an alluring and accessible style that epitomizes thework of Robert Indiana The monumental scale, simple typographic form, andallegorical color palette along with the personal and collective history of thenumber itself contribute to an immediately recognizable sculpture withsubstance beneath its gleaming surfaces.Indiana’s massive sculptures have become, and will forever remain anindelible component of American post-war aesthetics. Indiana’s fascination with the quotidian imagery prevalent in America’s visualculture led the artist to explore alternative interpretations of thesecommercial designs. Having alreadyutilized numerical imagery and titles in his earlier assemblages, Indiana wasfurther inspired by the robust Arabic numerals on an old printer’s calendar foundin his Coenties Slip loft. Adapting these prosaic figures into his practicedirectly contributed to the larger-than-life series, NUMBERS, of which Five isa prime example. Imbued with both a personal and collective history, thenumerals function both as an immediately recognizable image and also as anallusion to the progression of human life. Accordingly, Indiana varied thecolor palette of each work to reflect this symbolic progression, adding yetanother layer to this substantial work. Aligningthe numbers “1” through “0” from birth through to death, five occupies thepre-prime stage, and here Indiana colors the form with a bright, white facewhile the contours are treated with a vibrant blue. His characteristic blending of painting andsculpture coupled with the symbolic, formal, and allegorical aspect of thenumbers elevates Five from a simple numeral to a captivating and powerful work, indicative of transition and new beginnings. Read More