359

Ross Bleckner

1949

Untitled. 1996.

Watercolor and ink with collage on cream wove paper
Signed and dated in pencil, lower edge.
9 x 5 1/2 in. (22.9 x 14 cm.)

  • Provenance: Private collection, California.

    Ross Bleckner grew up in Hewlett Harbor, Long Island as a middle child between two sisters. His father manufactured car parts. Bleckner decided to become an artist while attending college; studying under the direction of famed artists Chuck Close and Sol LeWitt, Bleckner received his BA from NYU in 1971. He then completed an MFA at the California Institute of the Arts, Valencia in 1973 and moved back to New York shortly after. In 1979, Bleckner was one of the first artists to join the Mary Boone Gallery, New York. Though art critics did not favor his first series of Stripe paintings during the early 1980's, Bleckner attracted favorable attention in 1984 when a single work was exhibited at the Nature Morte Gallery in the East Village. At the time of this success, Bleckner was responding to the AIDS crisis; using his art for the purpose of memorializing those who had suffered and died from the disease. For example, one work entitled "8,122+ as of January 1986" (1986) documented the exact number of AIDS-related deaths at the time of its completion. Bleckner had his first solo exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1988. His series of works after this time included Constellation paintings (1987-93), featuring abstract suggestions of the night sky, and Architecture of the Sky paintings (1988-93), reminiscent of domed interiors. In later years, Bleckner focused on painting the human body at a microscopic level, showcasing diseased cells and DNA irregularities most likely in response to the loss of his father, who battled cancer. In 1995, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum exhibited a mid-career retrospective of Bleckner's work. Between 1995 and 2003, Bleckner completed a series of bird paintings, and also experimented with airbrush painting. Dealing with subjects of loss, transcendence and remembrance, Bleckner continues to weave both mind and soul onto his canvases, impacting the art world in a sincerely personal, heartfelt way. He currently lives and works in New York.
  • Condition:
    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

    Condition reports and additional images are provided as a courtesy and should be used by you to aid in the formation of your own opinion regarding condition. All material is sold subject to Swann's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale as published in our catalogues and posted on our website, and include the following terms: (1) all property is sold "as-is"; and (2) works cannot be returned on the basis of condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Upon request, Swann will facilitate the shipping of purchases to out-of-town buyers at an additional charge for packing, shipping and insurance, but will not be responsible for any loss, damage or delay resulting from the packing, handling and shipping thereof. Unless specific instructions are received, Swann is the sole judge of the method to be used for shipment. Packing and shipping costs will be noted on the invoice mailed to successful bidders after the sale, and are based on the actual costs involved. Be advised that a full commercial invoice must accompany any purchase shipped outside the US.

Swann Auction Galleries

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $149 $10
$150 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $5,999 $200
$6,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
$500,000 + $50,000