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Arman (American/French, 1928–2005)
LOT ID: 29890
What Happened to the Flowers? (Homage à Andy Warhol) , 1970

Mixed Media Sculpture Edition, found object (torn paper scraps) of iconic Andy Warhol screenprint "Flowers", encased in Plexiglas
35.43 х 35.43 х 1.97 in. cm.
Signed, and numbered by Arman in red ink on plexi, verso; Stamped/incised by Arman again on the plexi. Hand-signed again by Arman on a paper fragment; Hand-signed by Warhol on another paper fragment. Authenticated by the Arman Studio (Arman Studio, New York, Archive Number APA#8400.70.025).
Edition 48/50
Foundry/Publisher Galerie Ileana Sonnabend, Paris
Lot description
IMPORTANT and rare, vintage 1970 Authenticated Poubelle/Accumulation of ANDY WARHOL'S "FLOWER" screenprint fragments; Excellent, Original Condition.

An important art historical work embodying the concepts of Nouveau réalisme as well as American Pop during the height of both movements; this sculpture is a hybrid—an ‘Accumulation’ created from the debris of discarded Warhol Flower (screenprint) fragments. Each work in the edition is Unique—due to the various proportions, tears and arrangements of the paper fragments.
"What Happened to the Flowers," embodies the philosophy of " Nouveau réalisme". Beginning in 1961, Arman made a series of "Poubelles" (translated as "remains") often from the garbage of different artists such as Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, Oldenburg and LeWitt. During the 1970s, Arman was represented by Ileana Sonnabend—whose close friend and ex-husband Leo Castelli represented Andy Warhol who was busy printing his Flower silkscreens at The Factory at the time. The two artists admired each other (Warhol owned two "Poubelle" works by Arman). This is Arman’s vintage homage-collaboration with Warhol.
Nouveau réalisme (founded by critic Pierre Restany and the painter Yves Klein in 1960 and including Arman, Daniel Spoerri, Jean Tinguely, and later, César, Mimmo Rotella, Niki de Saint Phalle, Christo and others) was a twentieth century artistic movement that perceived the world as an image from which artists would cannibalize parts (advertisements, everyday objects/objéts trouvés) and incorporate them into their works—this being a method of direct appropriation of reality, equivalent, in the terms used by Pierre Restany, to a "poetic recycling of urban, industrial and advertising reality".
Like their American POP counter-parts, Nouveau Réalists questioned the idea of authorship through an artist's use of signature. Arman deliberately co-mingled Warhol's signature on one of the scraps as well as a signed scrap of one of his own works –begging the question–is the piece by Arman or Warhol, or could it be considered a collaboration?
Stamped/Incised and numbered by Arman in red ink on the plexi; Hand-signed again by Arman on a paper fragment; on another fragment, Warhol’s upside-down signature. From the collection of the original owner, in pristine, bright condition. From the collection of Gordon Locksley, an active avant-garde gallerist in the 1970s in Minneapolis, USA.
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  • Arman

    What happened to the flowers?
    accumulation of torn Andy Warhol's silkscreens in plexi
    (H 35.4, W 35.4) in.
    (90 x 90) cm.
    Ed. ed.50
    Sold for: US$44,243
    Thursday, April 24, 2008
    Stockholms Auktionsverk
    Lot 01035
  • Arman

    What happened to the flowers
    printed paper collage and synthetic resin
    (H 36.2, W 36.2) in.
    (92 x 92) cm.
    Sold for: US$64,593
    Friday, June 22, 2007
    Sotheby's London
    Lot 00135
  • Arman

    What happened to the flowers
    Multiple
    (H 36.2, W 36.2) in.
    (92 x 92) cm.
    Ed. ed.50
    Sold for: US$31,553
    Thursday, December 04, 2003
    Piasa
    Lot 00040
  • Arman

    Poubelle - Portrait of Andy Warhol
    Mixed Media
    (H 61.5, W 30.0, D 6.4) in.
    (156.2 x 76.2 x 16.2) cm.
    Sold for: US$20,300
    Wednesday, October 10, 2001
    Sotheby's New York
    Lot 00316
  • Arman

    Poubelle d'Oldenburg
    Mixed Media
    (H 47.2, W 23.6, D 23.6) in.
    (120 x 60 x 60) cm.
    Ed.
    Sold for: US$19,492
    Thursday, October 22, 1998
    Sotheby's London
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