Bruce Nauman blurs the Neon Lights

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Neon lights illuminate the advertisements of the major commercial groups in the dark of night. Their message must be as clear as possible. This new mode of expression inspired text paintings by Ed Ruscha.

In 1981-1982, Bruce Nauman goes further. He chooses contradictory words mixture which he mixes, inverts, imbalances, blurs, in large installations of fluorescent colorful lights that flash in an alternate sequence. When the observer is able to decipher VIOLINS VIOLENT SILENCE, his discomfort grows as the gathering of such words is paradoxical.

This neon installation, 158 x 166 x 15 cm, is estimated $ 2.5 million at Sotheby's in New York on November 11.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Excellent result, among the highest ever achieved for a lettrist artwork, and for a light installation: $ 4 million charge included.

Experts from Sotheby's have a very good know-how. They managed to convince me, rightly, about the importance of this work.