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Contemporary Collection

PUBLISHED IN: Catalogs

Heather James fine Art presents a selection of art from our Contemporary collection

Sampling of Contemporary Works Available

<div>The stands are: 32 H x 19-3/4 W x 19-3/4 D in.  Rat: 27 7/8 x 12 7/8 x 20 7/8 in. Ox: 29 1/8 x 20 1/8 x 16 7/8 in. Tiger: 25 7/8 x 14 7/8 x 16 7/8 in. Rabbit: 27 7/8 x 9 7/8 x 18 7/8 in. Dragon: 35 7/8 x 18 1/8 x 25 7/8 in. Snake: 27 7/8 x 14 1/8 x 6 3/4 in. Horse: 29 1/8 x 12 1/4 x 22 in. Ram: 25 1/4 x 20 7/8 x 16 1/8 in. Monkey: 27 1/8 x 12 7/8 x 14 7/8 in. Rooster: 24 x 9 x 16 7/8 in. Dog: 25 1/4 x 14 7/8 x 18 7/8 in. Boar: 27 1/8 x 16 1/8 x 20 7/8 in.  World-renowned Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei is a sculptor, installation artist, architectural designer, curator, and social and cultural critic who has been exhibiting his work internationally since the late 1990s. His artistic practice is inextricably linked with cultural engagement and willingly crosses barriers between different media—cultural, artistic, and social. It was perhaps his detention from 2011 until August 2015 by the Chinese government that brought his views to the greatest audience. Ai Weiwei now lives in Germany and continues to create new works and uses his significant international profile to promote artistic and personal freedom.  These twelve sculptures depict the animals associated with the traditional Chinese zodiac. Ai Weiwei’s cycle references a European rendering of the zodiac animals designed by the Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione. The original sculptures were built in the eighteenth century for an elaborate water-clock fountain at the Yuanming Yuan (Old Summer Palace), which was ransacked in 1860. By recreating the lost and displaced statues, Ai Weiwei engages issues of looting, repatriation, and cultural heritage while expanding upon ongoing themes in his work concerning the “fake” and “copy” in relation to the original.  Ai Weiwei now works in Berlin, Germany.</div>
FEATURED
AI WEIWEI
Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold
2010
gold-plated bronze in 12 parts

The frame of reference for Irish American Sean Scully’s signature blocks and stripes is vast. From Malevich’s central premise that geometry can provide the means for universal understanding to Rothko’s impassioned approach to color and rendering of the dramatic sublime, Scully learned how to condense the splendor of the natural world into simple modes of color, light, and composition. Born in Dublin in 1945 and London-raised, Scully was well-schooled in figurative drawing when he decided to catch the spirit of his lodestar, Henri Matisse, by visiting Morocco in 1969. He was captivated by the dazzling tessellated mosaics and richly dyed fabrics and began to paint grids and stipes of color. Subsequent adventures provided further inspiration as the play of intense light on the reflective surfaces of Mayan ruins and the ancient slabs of stone at Stonehenge brought the sensation of light, space, and geometric movement to Scully’s paintings. The ability to trace the impact of Scully’s travels throughout his paintings reaffirms the value of abstract art as a touchstone for real-life experience.
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<br>Painted in rich, deep hues and layered, nuanced surfaces, Grey Red is both poetic and full of muscular formalism. Scully appropriately refers to these elemental forms as ‘bricks,’ suggesting the formal calculations of an architect. As he explained, “these relationships that I see in the street doorways, in windows between buildings, and in the traces of structures that were once full of life, I take for my work. I use these colors and forms and put them together in a way that perhaps reminds you of something, though you’re not sure of that” (David Carrier, Sean Scully, 2004, pg. 98). His approach is organic, less formulaic; intuitive painter’s choices are layering one color upon another so that contrasting hues and colors vibrate with subliminal energy. Diebenkorn comes to mind in his pursuit of radiant light. But here, the radiant bands of terracotta red, gray, taupe, and black of Grey Red resonate with deep, smoldering energy and evoke far more affecting passion than you would think it could impart. As his good friend, Bono wrote, “Sean approaches the canvas like a kickboxer, a plasterer, a builder. The quality of painting screams of a life being lived.”
FEATURED
SEAN SCULLY
Grey Red
2012
85 x 75 in.
oil on aluminum
1,475,000

MANOLO VALDES - Portrait of a Woman - oil and burlap on canvas - 60 x 60 in.
FEATURED
MANOLO VALDES
Portrait of a Woman
1997
60 x 60 in.
oil and burlap on canvas
450,000

<div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Known for his ability to blend traditional Japanese techniques with modern aesthetics, Hiroshi Senju's sublime depictions of bands of cascading veils of paint evoke sensations of tranquility and awe. Senju began exploring waterfall imagery in the early 1990s, pouring translucent pigment onto mulberry paper mounted on board, creating cascading movement. In this work, "<em>Waterfall," </em>he masterfully bonds ribbons of cascading water into two curtain-like ethereal panels. Senju's interest in synesthesia is undeniable. "<em>Waterfall</em>" conjures sound, smell, and feel sensations as much as the rushing water's appearance. In the present work, he placed these dynamic elements in a context that grounds the viewer's sense of place within the natural world. A wedge of blue in the upper left corner contrasts the otherwise monochromatic palette, providing a sky association bounded by a hillside or cliff (for which Senju is known). Additionally, as the cascading water descends, it reaches a destination expanse at the bottom of the picture plane, where the force of the water disperses into a fine mist at the point of contact, serving as a visual anchor. </font></div>
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<br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Senju's finesse is evident throughout. He uses mulberry paper, a traditional Japanese material known for its delicate texture and strength. The paper's natural fibers absorb pigments in ways that create subtle gradients and fluidity, enhancing the visual effect of the cascading water. He employs traditional Nihonga techniques, such as layering washes to build depth and movement and utilizing varied brush strokes to achieve different effects. Additionally, he incorporates modern methods like the airbrush to apply fine mists of pigment, creating smooth and seamless gradients that mimic the delicate spray and vapor associated with cascading water.</font></div>
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<br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Hiroshi Senju pays homage to the traditional art forms of his heritage while pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. His ability to convey the sublime through simplicity and abstraction makes this artwork a testament to his unique vision and artistic mastery. It stands as a serene reminder of nature's timeless beauty, captured through the ability of a master painter and artist.  </font></div>
FEATURED
HIROSHI SENJU
Waterfall
2021
36 x 46 in.
natural pigments and platinum on Japanese mulberry paper mounted on board
325,000

HERB ALPERT - Arrowhead - bronze - 201 x 48 x 48 in.
HERB ALPERT
Arrowhead
2015
201 x 48 x 48 in.
bronze
295,000

ANDREW WYETH - Quart and a Half - watercolor on paper - 21 x 29 1/4 in.
FEATURED
ANDREW WYETH
Quart and a Half
1961
21 x 29 1/4 in.
watercolor on paper
295,000

WILLIAM KENTRIDGE - Porter Series: Carte L'Europe (Shower Woman) - mohair and silk embroidered tapestry - 98 3/8 x 137 7/8 in.
FEATURED
WILLIAM KENTRIDGE
Porter Series: Carte L'Europe (Shower Woman)
2006-2007
98 3/8 x 137 7/8 in.
mohair and silk embroidered tapestry
275,000

This painting has remained in the same private collection since its creation.  Along with its companion work, "Untitled" (1991) was on display in the lobby of Chicago's Heller International Building at 500 West Monroe Street from the building's opening in 1992 until its renovation in 2015.
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<br>The November 2018 sale of Schnabel's "Large Rose Painting, (Near Van Gogh's Grave)" for $1.2 million at auction demonstrates a strong demand for the artist's work. This major sale was only the second-highest price paid for a Schnabel at auction: the record was set in November of 2017 when "Ethnic Type #14" sold for $1.4 million.  
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<br>A recent museum exhibition, "Julian Schnabel: Symbols of Actual Life" at the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, in 2018, featured several of Schnabel's large-scale paintings.
FEATURED
JULIAN SCHNABEL
Untitled
1991
96 x 120 in.
oil, resin, gesso, fabric and leather on seamed dropcloth
250,000

Roger Brown is known for his personal and often fantastical imagery and highly stylized paintings with figures and objects that reflect his interest in everyday experiences. Acid Rain explores themes of modern life and social commentary that reflect the role of the artist in society and the potential of art to instigate change. On a more personal level, the theme of acid rain may symbolize corrosive emotional or psychological states, such as depression, anxiety, or the feeling of being overwhelmed by circumstances beyond one's control. Just as acid rain was a largely unseen but devastating environmental problem, the crisis of the emerging HIV/AIDS epidemic likely motivated Brown to create the work to process personal grief, critique the inadequate response from political leaders, and advocate for compassion, understanding, and medical research.
FEATURED
ROGER BROWN
Acid Rain
1984
48 x 72 x 2 in.
oil on canvas
215,000

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