571 - CRAGG, TONY

CRAGG, TONY 1949 Liverpool Title: Listeners. Technique: Ductile cast iron, corroded. Dimensions: 56 x 62 x 64 cm. Notation: Signed on each of the two feet: Cragg. Base: Mounted on a white-polychromed wooden base: 100 x 50 x 60 cm; total dimensions: 156 x 62 x 64. The artist created the sculpture for the members, friends, and patrons of the Foundation for Art and Culture e.V. Ten rust-colored and ten steel-gray versions were produced. Provenance: - Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia - A sculpture that makes a powerful visual and intellectual statement, transcending purely aesthetic experience. - The artist’s unmistakable formal language. - The warm, brown patina creates an intriguing contrast with the technological forms Tony Cragg’s sculpture “Listeners” is made of brown, corroded cast iron. The composition comprises several concavely curved elements reminiscent of radar dishes, pointing in different directions as though listening on all sides. Here, heavy metal meets an open formal language: an ensemble of seemingly sensitive receiving devices explores the surrounding space, both visually and imaginatively. Cragg deliberately makes use of the iron’s rust patina, lending “Listeners” an archaic quality, as though the work were a relic of the industrial past. At the same time, the surface has an organic appearance, creating a connection between technology and nature. This approach to materials—allowing corrosion to occur and emphasizing their physical qualities—is characteristic of Cragg’s body of work. He explores the expressive potential of different materials, imbuing even industrial metals with an unexpected sensuality. “Listeners” fits seamlessly into Cragg’s broader body of work, which is characterized by an experimental engagement with everyday objects and scientific forms. Since his early works incorporating found objects, Cragg has explored the tension between recognizability and abstraction—an approach that is equally evident in “Listeners.” On the one hand, the sculpture evokes associations with technical listening devices; on the other, it remains abstract and devoid of any practical function. Tony Cragg is among the most influential contemporary sculptors to have incorporated industrial materials and everyday forms into art since the 1980s. “Listeners” is a prime example of this approach: the weight of the metal is juxtaposed with a dynamic, almost communicative form. The sculpture demonstrates Cragg’s ability to breathe life into heavy, inert materials—combining analytical precision with a compelling sensual appeal. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport is available only through a shipping company after consultation following the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros For a total invoice amount exceeding 25,000 Euros: 1.8 per mille Shipping to the U.S. by individual arrangement after the auction. #Tony Cragg #Abstraction #Germany #Post-War Art #Communication #Sculpture #Sculptures. In accordance with §26 UrhG (German Copyright Act), VAN HAM is obligated to pay a statutory resale royalty on the sale proceeds of all original works of fine art and photography whose authors have not been deceased for 70 years prior to the end of the calendar year of the sale. The buyer shall contribute 1.5% of the hammer price toward this fee.