1609 - HARDING, ALEXIS (1973) "The Claw" 2005 Mixed media (oil, gloss varnish, and pigment on wood panel). 61 x 66 cm. Signed, dated, titled, and marked with a directional arrow on the reverse of the panel: Alexis HARDING 2005 “The Claw” TOP ↑. Also features a small paint sketch and red paint streaks. The handcrafted wooden frame is an integral part of the work and bears the artist’s characteristic traces of his working process (paint bleeds). Alexis Harding, a prominent figure in contemporary British painting and winner of the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize in 2004, is known for his radical exploration of the materiality of paint. His works are less depictions than physical events arising from the controlled chaos of chemical reactions. This square work from 2005 is a prime example of Harding’s innovative technique. On a monochromatic, intense wine-red base textured by vertical brushstrokes, the artist places a central, tall rectangular field. This field consists of a thick application of bright yellow gloss varnish interspersed with red pigment dots.

HARDING, ALEXIS (1973) "The Claw" 2005 Mixed media (oil, gloss varnish, and pigment on wood panel). 61 x 66 cm. Signed, dated, titled, and marked with a directional arrow on the reverse of the panel: Alexis HARDING 2005 “The Claw” TOP ↑. Also features a small paint sketch and red paint streaks. The handcrafted wooden frame is an integral part of the work and bears the artist’s characteristic traces of his working process (paint bleeds). Alexis Harding, a prominent figure in contemporary British painting and winner of the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize in 2004, is known for his radical exploration of the materiality of paint. His works are less depictions than physical events arising from the controlled chaos of chemical reactions. This square work from 2005 is a prime example of Harding’s innovative technique. On a monochromatic, intense wine-red base textured by vertical brushstrokes, the artist places a central, tall rectangular field. This field consists of a thick application of bright yellow gloss varnish interspersed with red pigment dots. The fascination of this work lies in the interaction between the upper layer of varnish and the underlying medium. During the drying process, the gloss varnish contracts unevenly, creating a complex, relief-like mesh structure that appears almost organic—like an exotic skin or an architectural lattice. This calculated material reaction creates a tension that is further intensified by the delicate red pigment accents breaking through the yellow matrix. Harding uses chance as a creative element by allowing gravity and the chemical properties of the paints to take effect, often over the course of weeks. The irregular, frayed edges of the central field bear witness to this dynamic process of flowing and solidifying. It is particularly noteworthy that Harding incorporates the wooden support and the surrounding frame into the creative process. The frame is not merely a boundary but a catch basin for excess paint. The close-up photographs impressively show how drops and layers of paint (red, white, yellow) have flowed over the edges and solidified there. These “traces of the making” are an integral part of the artwork and underscore its object-like character. The back of the wooden panel is a visual document in its own right. In addition to the signature and the date “2005,” it features a directional arrow (“TOP ↑”), a small color sketch, and expressive red streaks of paint, which underscore the raw, studio-fresh character of the work. The title, which could be deciphered here as “The Claw” (?), hints at the associative power of the central form. Works by Alexis Harding are held in major public and private collections, including that of the Arts Council of England. This work offers a rare opportunity to acquire a key piece from one of his most creative phases, one that fascinatingly explores the boundary between painting and sculpture. The work is in very good original condition. The drying cracks and surface tensions in the central yellow structure—characteristic of Harding’s work—are stable and inherent to the material. The paint-smeared frame is intentional on the artist’s part and part of the overall artistic concept.