Mike Bidlo (American, b.1953)

LOT ID: 82154

Not Pollock, 1983

Oil, and Enamel on Canvas

56.5 х 108 in. (143.51 x 274.32 cm.)

Signed, dated, verso

Lot description

In the early 80s, Mike Bidlo began to appropriate the modern masters by focusing on the paintings of Jackson Pollock. It is this early series of Pollock paintings that remain the most significant and collectible of all his works. Bidlo immersed himself completely in the personage of Pollock, befriending Ruth Kligman, who was in the car with Pollock when he died, and devoted himself to researching and exploring every aspect of Pollock’s life.

“Mike Bidlo actually adopts the persona of master artists—lives like them, paints like them, takes on their appearances—in an attempt to involve himself as directly as possible in the myth of “being a master artist.” —Morris, Sarah. “The Charade of Mastery”, Whitney Museum of American Art, 1990.

The artist continued his exploration of Pollock’s personal life through his performance and installation titled 'Jack the Dripper at Peg’s Place' at P.S.1 in New York. He hired a Pollock ‘look-alike’ to re-enact the drunken Pollock urinating in Peggy Guggenheim’s fireplace during a cocktail party at her apartment. East Village artists and luminaries played the roles of Guggenheim and her astonished guests. Since that time, Bidlo has continued to appropriate the most famous paintings and sculptures by 20th century masters including Léger, Warhol, Duchamp, Picasso and Man Ray to name only a few. His work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at Saatchi Collection, London, England; Sezon Museum, Tokyo, Japan; Bruno Bischofberger Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland; Sean Kelly Gallery, New York, NY; and MoMA PS1, New York, NY.

Literature and Catalogue Raisonné
Literature and Catalogue Raisonné
Condition Report
Condition Report
No condition report has been added for this lot. Please contact the specialist for further information.
History and Provenance
History and Provenance
Provenance:
Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, NY
Shipping Information
Shipping Information
Shipping Weight: 20 lbs

Framing: No

Item Location: New York, USA
Payment and Return Policies
Payment and Return Policies
Accepted:
Wire Transfer, Check

artnet Assurance Policy:
Every artnet Auctions seller has been approved by artnet after a thorough review. All of our sellers are required to accept the following artnet policy: A buyer may return an item purchased through artnet Online Auctions, if the item received is not as described in its listing, or is found to be not authentic.
Please see our full Return Policy for details.

Purchase Now

You are purchasing this lot for US$.*

Click Continue to place your order.

*The purchase now price excludes taxes (if applicable) and a 20% buyer's premium on all lots under US$250,000 and a 10% buyer's premium on all lots with a winning bid or purchase now price of US$250,000 or above.

Purchase Now

Congratulations, you have purchased a lot on artnet Auctions!

Proceed to Items Won >

SmartBid

CONFIRMATION

The artnet SmartBid Service will automatically bid on your behalf up to US$.

artnet SmartBid will immediately meet the reserve price if your maximum bid is over the reserve. If the lot does not have a reserve price, it will immediately bid to the next increment level.

artnet SmartBid will then raise your bid up to your maximum bid by increment. But it will never raise your bid above the reserve price unless other bidders placed competitive bids on the lot.

Click Bid Now to place your bid.

SmartBid

Enter your maximum bid below. It must be US$41,000 or higher:

Maximum bid: US$

*The maximum bid excludes taxes (if applicable) and a 20% buyer's premium on all lots with a winning bid under US$250,000 and a 10% buyer's premium on all lots with a winning bid or purchase now price of US$250,000 or above.

How does bidding work?