14 Nov

Posted at 12:42h in UNIQUE WORKS

Munich: Boltanski/Haus der Kunst, 1997
Medium size green felt hat in the Bavarian traditional style (also known as Tyrolean) with two metal and enamel badges pinned on and bird feathers in a metal clasp in the braided cord headband.
This item was "found" in the Munich Underground Lost & Found offices and appropriated by Boltanski as a readymade artwork - a strategy which Boltanski had used before in various cities including Glasgow in 1993. Two cardboard labels (commonly used in Lost & Found Offices) are stamped with the title VERLOREN IN MUNCHEN (Lost in Munich) and one is signed by Boltanski in ink as the certificate for the work. The hat had been used in the exhibition prior being offered to sale where other "lost" items were exhibited.
In VG+ condition given that the item was previously lost on the underground. Unique within an unknown number of items sold as works after the exhibition.

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14 Nov

Posted at 10:15h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
5.2 x 18.6cm, 4pp, card printed which houses a 5.2 x 18.6cm, 1pp card with tipped on embroidered name tag (in red and white).
The tag reads: "TOM, DICK OR HARRY".

The card notes the boat names of drifters which being boys names are indeed "characteristic" as well as typical of the time. The phrase "Tom, Dick or Harry" is from an idiom - any Tom, Dick, or Harry", meaning anyone thus making the naming convention universal. This card is almost an object multiple but we have decided to retain it in this catalogue as an artist's card. VG+.

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12 Sep

Posted at 20:28h in Proposals

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
11 x 22cm, 20pp plus two fold outs and leaf patterned boards with tipped on label. A proposal for the grounds of London's Serpentine Gallery which consisted of semi-circle of 8 benches with plaques and a single central plaque in the Meadow Area. The texts are all translations from Vigil talking of a distant view - but each translation takes on different nuances of the original. Translations are by Finlay himself with Jessie Sheeler, Samuel Palmer, C Day Lewis, W F Jackson Knight, Harry Gilonis, John Caryll, and Charles Calverley. Virgil's own Latin quotation is also present on the final bench.
A further plaque again quotes Virgil: "Home, goats, home, replete, the evening star is coming." - a quotation that in which one recognises aspects of Finlay's most famous work - "Evening will come, they sew the blue sail."
A massive carved circular paving stone is also proposed to be placed at the entrance to the gallery listing the latin names of trees that are found near to the gallery. Lettering was drawn by Peter Coates and Andrew Whittle. Maps and cover paper by Gary Hincks.

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27 Aug

Posted at 16:52h in Proposals

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997 18.4 x 18cm folded printed card folder content of a folded sheet which opens to 36 x 17.5cm, the inner folding is a drawing after a sculpture which is explained thus: A circular post cast in bronze, with plain and rusticated bands alternating, the latter following three of the four types of rustication illustrated in Sebastiano Serlio's Five Books of Architecture: At the top of the post, in raised Roman letters, are the words AGE QUOD AGIS - What you are doing, do thoroughly. The post is designed for a private garden in Provence. VG+. ...

06 Aug

Posted at 09:06h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
7.7 x 7.4cm, 6pp card with two internal panels that read:
TRIMMING
THE
LAMP

and

STOWING
THE
SAIL.
This work is after an early poem by Thomas A. Clark. Lamp trimmers were a specialised role on boats maintaining the many oil lamps safely, stowing the sail was an activity done at the end of the day. Finlay has created a work representing a day at sea and by extension the countryside. VG+.

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01 Aug

Posted at 09:01h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
3.3 x 7.8cm, 4pp outer folder with tipped on inner concertina folded sheet that reads:
t a n k e r

A concrete poem where the length of the spaced out letters reflects the construction of the ship. B.P. Stands for British Petroleum. VG+.

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21 Jul

Posted at 20:38h in Page Works & Contributions

Edinburgh: Morning Star, 1997
14 x 10.5cm, blue card slipcase content of a 13.5 x 10cm, 28pp plus boards. Artist's book consisting of a number of contributions by Finlay, Harry Gilonis, Jackson Mac Low, Ian Stephen, Graham Rich, Haans Waanders, Simon Cutts, Thomas A. Clark, Pavel Buchler, David Bellingham, Richard Tuttle, Zoe Irvine, Alex Finlay, Simon Patterson, and Lawrence Weiner as well as others. One of only 200 printed. VG+.

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26 Jun

Posted at 09:11h in ARTIST’S BOOKS

Grand-Hornu: Grand-Hornu Images, 1997
19.5 x 12.7cm, 16pp (single folded sheet that opens up to 25.4 x 78cm. Artist's book that was circulated during the exhibition which reproduces the portrait page of children's passport documents (Dutch and French) these appear to be wartime documents.
Still extant is the publisher's wrap around bandeau which reproduced details of the exhibition on it although a mistake in the printing has meant that a hand addition to the times has been made. VG+. Very scarce.

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14 Jun

Posted at 09:26h in Jonathan Monk

14.5 x 18.8cm, b/w silver gelatine print on Ilford MgIV paper displaying an unused (ie not reproduced in the artist's book "None of the buildings on the Sunset Strip") - an unique photograph.
On the rear in Monk's handwriting are the settings for the camera that he used, the word's "Artist's Proof" and the title "NONE OF THE BUILDINGS ON SUNSET STRIP", his signature in ink and the date 1997.
One small stain on the reverse and a very small, hard to notice fixative stain on the front but otherwise mint condition and unique.
JOINT:
A handwritten note from the artist to Paul Robertson explaining the photograph and offering it in part trade for future purchases. The letter is coffee stained on the left hand side due to large-dog-accident (bloody Yuri the first avant guard dog did it, clumsy lump of an animal but much missed).

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14 Mar

Posted at 09:47h in Artist's Books

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
15 x 10.6cm, 16pp with card covers and blue printed dust jacket. Six drawings by Hinks illustrate newly created maritime proverbs by Finlay:

"Cross-winds straight wakes" and "Bilges beget rainbows".

The former being a metaphor for criticism causing considered responses or a doubling down on an opinion, the second a reference to the way all bilge water shimmers due to the pollution of oil - the new proverb suggesting good things can come from bad. Finlay's proverbs really should be more commonly used - they are wonderful.
One of only 250 published, VG+

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15 Dec

Posted at 09:49h in Artist's Books

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1996
15 x 24cm, 18pp plus printed green boards. Artist's book with nine b/w photographs by Robin Gillanders of the path to Little Sparta which in turn shows the ground, the gate from a little distance and then the sign on the gate. The first sign informs the public that "Following the authority's action against the Garden Temple Little Sparta is closed to the public". The second announces that "Strathclyde Region made war on little Sparta/Strathclyde Region is no more." - an adaption of a Committee of Public Safety announcement about Lyons and the final biting sign "Closed with the support of the Scottish Arts Council" which is a parody of the usual acknowledgement statement the SAC required to gain funding.
This was Finlay's retort at the end of the "Little Sparta Wars" where Strathclyde Regional Council fought with the artist over a ratings issue of a building they claimed to be an art gallery while Finlay believed to be a Garden Temple. By closing Little Sparta and claiming the Garden Temple was reclassified as a "store" then Finlay found a way of ending the dispute allied to the fact that Strathclyde Region was abolished due to the UK Government's reorganisation. His dislike to the Scottish Arts Council remained however as he felt they had not given him any support at all in his fight and the book quotes Andrew Nairne, Visual Arts Director of the SAC as saying "Little Sparta should be sacrifices to the greater good of the arts in Scotland" which is astonishing now that Little Sparta is regarded by many as the major artistic venture in Soctland of the 2oth centrury.
Very good + condition and an interesting documentation of the end of the dispute as much as an artist's book.

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