56 - BORUKH (BORIS SHTEINBERG) (RUSSIAN 1938-2003)

BORUKH (BORIS SHTEINBERG) (RUSSIAN 1938-2003) Birdcage, assemblage of wood and wire birdcage elements, embossed metal bird and metal fragments on board, in the artist's painted frame 50.2 x 60 cm (19 3/4 x 23 5/8 in.) including frame PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist by an American diplomat, Moscow Thence by descent Acquired from the above by the present owner LOT NOTES A broken birdcage, its wooden rails and wire bars wrenched apart and spilling past the frame, is fixed over a dense, rust-toned ground of small metal fragments. At its center an embossed metal bird spreads its wings in flight. Borukh, the pseudonym of Boris Shteinberg, was a writer, painter, graphic artist and maker of collages and assemblages in the Moscow underground. He was the older brother of the abstract painter Eduard Steinberg. His object works, built from the ordinary things of Soviet daily life, have been compared to those of Joseph Cornell, Arman and César, and his metal works in particular are a highlight of Russian unofficial art. His Twinkling Composition (1970) is in the Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection at the Zimmerli Art Museum. Keywords: Soviet Nonconformist Assemblage, Borukh Shteinberg, Eduard Steinberg Brother, Birdcage Assemblage, Metal Relief, Moscow Underground N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals LLC and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.