untitled (to Ileana and Michael Sonnabend)
- Date
- 1970
- Material
- Fluorescent lights
- probably made in
- New York, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Sculpture
- Collection
- Modern and Contemporary Art
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 246
- Dimensions
- length: 96 in. (243.8 cm)
- Credit Line
- Museum Shop Fund
- Rights
- © 2013 Stephen Flavin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Object Number
- 35:2006
NOTES
Three fluorescent bulbs project blue, pink, and yellow light onto the surrounding walls. In 1961 Dan Flavin began to use fluorescent fixtures as his primary medium, allowing him, as he once said, to “combine traditions of painting and sculpture in architecture with acts of electric light defining space.” Flavin referred to his colored light installations as “proposals” or “situations” rather than sculptures. This piece is dedicated to friends of the artist, the important New York art dealer Ileana Sonnabend and her husband Michael.
Provenance
1970 - 1989
Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, NY [1]
1989 - 1997
Claude Berri, Paris, France; New York, NY, USA, acquired from Leo Castelli Gallery [2]
1997 - 2000
Galerie Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, purchased at auction at Christie's, New York, May 8, 1997, lot no. 255 [3]
2000 - 2001
Armand Bartos, New York, NY, USA, purchased from Galerie Beyeler [4]
2001- 2006
Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, NY, purchased from Armand Bartos [5]
2006 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Paula Cooper Gallery [6]
Notes:
[1] First shown in the exhibit "Untitled (to Barnett Newman) 1970" Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, November 21-December 12, 1970. Per copy of official certificate, faxed from Paula Cooper Gallery, faxed March 15, 2006 [SLAM document files].
[2] Per exhibition catalogue ["Passions Privées: Collections Particulieres d'art moderne et contemporain en France" Paris: Musée Modern de la Ville de Paris, 1995, p.488, 494]. Catalogue states that the work was acquired in 1989 from Leo Castelli Gallery, New York.
[3] Per correspondence between Museum curator Robin Clark and Paula Cooper Gallery, March 14, 2006, and auction catalogue for Christie's New York, sale #8644, lot #255, May 8, 1997, p. 138. Shown in exhibit at Galerie Beyeler ["Artlight." Basel: Galerie Beyeler. December 2000-April 2001, cat. no. 2.]
[4] Per Steven Henry (Paula Cooper Gallery) [email to Robin Clark, June 1, 2006, SLAM document files].
[5] Per Tiffany Bell and Steven Henry of Paula Cooper Gallery [email to Robin Clark, July 10, 2006, SLAM document files].
[6] Dealer invoice, April 11, 2006 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, June 20, 2006.
Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, NY [1]
1989 - 1997
Claude Berri, Paris, France; New York, NY, USA, acquired from Leo Castelli Gallery [2]
1997 - 2000
Galerie Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, purchased at auction at Christie's, New York, May 8, 1997, lot no. 255 [3]
2000 - 2001
Armand Bartos, New York, NY, USA, purchased from Galerie Beyeler [4]
2001- 2006
Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, NY, purchased from Armand Bartos [5]
2006 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Paula Cooper Gallery [6]
Notes:
[1] First shown in the exhibit "Untitled (to Barnett Newman) 1970" Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, November 21-December 12, 1970. Per copy of official certificate, faxed from Paula Cooper Gallery, faxed March 15, 2006 [SLAM document files].
[2] Per exhibition catalogue ["Passions Privées: Collections Particulieres d'art moderne et contemporain en France" Paris: Musée Modern de la Ville de Paris, 1995, p.488, 494]. Catalogue states that the work was acquired in 1989 from Leo Castelli Gallery, New York.
[3] Per correspondence between Museum curator Robin Clark and Paula Cooper Gallery, March 14, 2006, and auction catalogue for Christie's New York, sale #8644, lot #255, May 8, 1997, p. 138. Shown in exhibit at Galerie Beyeler ["Artlight." Basel: Galerie Beyeler. December 2000-April 2001, cat. no. 2.]
[4] Per Steven Henry (Paula Cooper Gallery) [email to Robin Clark, June 1, 2006, SLAM document files].
[5] Per Tiffany Bell and Steven Henry of Paula Cooper Gallery [email to Robin Clark, July 10, 2006, SLAM document files].
[6] Dealer invoice, April 11, 2006 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, June 20, 2006.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.