Gravitation Law Challenged by Richard Serra

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

If we define art as a creative act that generates emotion, the American Richard Serra is a great artist. He works in steel, in the form of plates and beams. Geometrically, we can not be simpler than these.

But he assembles in a manner that places them at the edge of instability. Seeing these heavy objects in such unlikely positions, without base, the visitor is affected by an intense emotion: a basic fear that the work collapses just now. A rust color, which is added with the brush by the artist, is increasing the apparent fragility of these huge structures.

Without leaving Sotheby's New York, let us consider three works by Serra.

On 11 November 2008, 12-4-8, executed in 1983, was sold $ 1.65 million including expenses. Three plates, 150 x 150 x 3.8 cm each, are standing, regularly distributed around a vertical axis. But they are leaning a few degrees, like a house of cards.

On 14 November 2007, Even Level, executed in 1987, was sold $ 1.5 million including expenses. It is made of two beams of the same size, 183 x 10 x20 cm. One of them is standing, the other is horizontal, set on the first. The standing beam is leaning, ready to fall.

Square Bar Choker, executed in 1989, will be on sale on May 12. The thin plate, 152 x 152 x 5 cm, is standing. A large bar, 23 x 23 x 152 cm, is placed above it, parallel but decentred, ending 65 cm beyond the edge of the plate. To offer chills of anxiety for your visitors, anticipate $ 1.5 million.

There is no doubt that Richard Serra is a skilled geometer.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Serra has difficulties to stay in the group of artists with million dollar results. Square Choker Bar has not been sold.

It is difficult to judge the artworks, especially sculptures, from simple images, but I must admit that Even Level had some elegance that is not found in the work unsold yesterday.