ART AUCTION
Joan Mitchell (American, 1925-1992), Untitled (Triptych)1975-1976. Intimate Love Paintings. Estimate: £250,000 – 350,000 ($400,000 – 560,000). Image courtesy of Bonhams
ART AUCTION: Two Intimate Love Paintings by Joan Mitchell in Bonhams Post-War & Contemporary Art auction reveal her cherished friendship with Patricia Molloy
BY ARTCENTRON
LONDON– On Friday, two untitled Joan Mitchell oil abstractions will be key features at Bonhams Post-War & Contemporary Art auction in London. Valued at £250,000 – 350,000 ($400,000 – 560,000) and £100,000 – 150,000 ($160,000 – 240,000) respectively, the paintings are generating a lot of excitement.
Bonhams auctioneers are thrilled about the opportunity to bring the artworks of Joan Mitchell to auction. Ralph Taylor, Head of Bonhams’ Post-War and Contemporary Department, notes that ‘We are delighted to have the opportunity to offer two unseen triptychs from the 1970s by the world’s pre-eminent female painter, Joan Mitchell.’
There are great reasons for the excitement at Bonhams Auction House. One is the opportunity to put Joan Mitchell’s work on auction. The other is that in the past three decades, Mitchell has become a star of the art world as her works continue to make record auction prices.
In the commercial art market, Mitchell towers over other female artists. Suzanne Gyorgy, global head of art advisory and finance at Citi Private Bank gave credence to Mitchell’s rise in the art market when she testified recently that Mitchell’s works hang prominently in many ‘serious collector’s homes.’ As further proof of her rise in the art world, Mitchell’s 1960 untitled painting just set a new record auction price for any female artist at $11.9 million.
Intimate Love Paintings Stories
The story behind the Intimate Love paintings is another reason Bonhams Auctioneers are so thrilled about the auction of Mitchell’s paintings. Besides the growing import of her work in the art space, the Bonhams art sale reveals the impact of friends. It brings to the fore a long bonding relationship between the artist and her dear friend Patricia Molloy.
Molloy lived with Mitchell as a tenant in her little studio-apartment at 60 St Mark’s Place in the mid-1960s. The one-room flat with ‘fourteen-foot ceilings’ and ‘north light from three windows overlooking the street,’ was their abode for many years. So treasured was this space that when Mitchell eventually moved out, Molloy stayed on and took over the lease.
Mitchell gifted the paintings to Molloy because they capture the beauty and intensity of their passionate relationship. The friendship between Mitchell and Molloy was particularly rewarding as it helped foster Mitchell’s artistic career. While they lived together in that East Village brownstone, Molloy became a fixture in Mitchell’s life, inspiring her in life and art for 15 years. Therefore, it is not surprising that along with the two paintings for sale at Bonhams, Mitchell also gave a fervently written letter that bears witness to Molloy’s importance to the creative process:
You made me paint – you always have – am I clear? Even if I shut you up and put you down. Glad you’re here, J.
Contemporary Art Auction
Alongside Joan Mitchell’s triptychs, the art auction will also include stunning and monumental masterworks by the Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo and a Mobile by Post-War great Alexander Calder. Also in the auction is a delicate work on paper by Wols, and two abstract oils from Gerhard Richter.
Additionally, the Bonhams Post-War & Contemporary Art auction will include high-quality artworks from the most highly sought-after artists of the moment. They include JR, Walead Beshty, Jacob Kassay, Christion Rosa, David Ostrowski, Os Gemeos, and Banksy, amongst many others. The collection of great works for this art auction Taylor notes is ‘further evidence of the great strength in depth that we are able to offer in Post-War & Contemporary Art at Bonhams.’
ART AUCTION | READ ALSO: Two Banksy Works Purchased for $60 Apiece Sells for $215,00 at Bonhams Auction House in London
The Post-War & Contemporary Art at Bonhams in London tomorrow is generating a lot of excitement because of the amazing collection of masterpieces by famous artists. Collectors are eager to add works by Miquel Barcelo, Alexander Calder, Wols , Gerhard Richter, JR, Walead Beshty, Jacob Kassay, and Christion Rosa to their collections Works by David Ostrowski, Os Gemeos and Banksy, are also in demand.
Nonetheless, the focus is on Joan Mitchell’s Intimate Love paintings. The outstanding quality of the paintings and the personal relationship anecdote are major attractions. The larger painting, for instance, is a rendering of the artist’s internal emotions. Characterized by an unsecured tumult of marks, from tangerine and sienna brown through deep-sea green, icy blues, and whites, it reveals wonderful outpourings of disordered emotions. They capture the profound feeling between the artist and her companion.
What do you think about the Intimate Love paintings? Do you know artists who use their works to express their affections? Join the art conversation: Share your thoughts and comments. Add to the story
