Lot 11 | John Chamberlain | Fleabane (Marsh)

CHAMBERLAIN, JOHN
1927 Rochester, IN/USA - 2011 New York

Title: Fleabane (Marsh).
Date: 1973.
Technique: Aluminium foil with acrylic varnish and synthetic resin.
Measurement: 43 x 48 x 58,5cm.


Provenance:
- Ivan Karp, USA (directly from the artist)
- Ben Birillo Collection, USA
- Mourtala Diop Collection, Dakar
- Gallery Guy Pieters, Knokke-Heist
- Private collection
- Collection Kasper König, Berlin

Literature:
- Sylvester, Julie: John Chamberlain, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Sculpture 19954-1985, New York 1986, cat. rais. no. 423, ill.

Few artists of the 20th century influenced sculpture as much as the American John Chamberlain. His oeuvre, which includes painting and photography as well as sculpture, shows the influence his work had on later art. Chamberlain is not only regarded as an outstanding representative of Abstract Expressionism, but is also recognized as one of the pioneers of Pop Art.

"American marble"
In contrast to traditional sculpture, Chamberlain's works are neither cast nor modeled. His sculptures are mostly made from disused car body parts, which the artist calls "American marble". Chamberlain transforms the body parts by stretching, compressing, cutting and crumpling them into shape. He then joins the individual parts together in a harmonious way. This results in balanced compositions of form as well as oscillating worlds of color: A novelty in sculpture, which in the classical tradition is almost exclusively monochrome. However, it is not only in the use of color that Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of the genre of sculpture. Instead of carving and modeling, the artist's underlying motivation is to assemble elements. It is hardly surprising and only logical that Chamberlain himself sees his sculptural works as a follow-up to and further development of collage. He collects the material for his works in scrap yards. The basic form and color of the object are decisive selection criteria. Chamberlain combines different elements to create a balanced composition - both in terms of color and form.

Fleabane (Marsh)
The dazzling colorfulness that is so characteristic of Chamberlain's work is particularly evident in this work from 1973. Green, golden yellow and red tones flow smoothly into one another and lend the compressed and pressed form of the sphere a lightness and quality that almost makes the viewer forget that discarded steel parts from the scrapyard form the basis of this sculpture. Its simple elegance inevitably remains in the viewer's memory. The present work clearly demonstrates the effortlessness and simultaneous virtuosity with which Chamberlain creates a natural balance between color and form composition in his sculptures. As a logical consequence of this unique talent, his work can be found today in the most important international art collections, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Tate Gallery in London.