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    Abelardo Morell

    American/Cuban, b. 1948

    Dictionary, 1994

    Gelatin silver print
    30 x 40 in. (76.2 x 101.6 cm.)
    Frame: 36.5 x 44 x 1 in. (92.71 x 111.76 x 2.54 cm.)
    Inscribed “AM.0140.Y” in pencil verso. Accompanied by Fraenkel Gallery label.

    Printed circa 1996
    Edition 4/15

    Lot ID

    145671
    Ended Thursday, April 17, 2025
    Estimate
    Susanna Wenniger
    Head Of Photographs

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    About This Lot

    Abelardo Morell is a contemporary Cuban-born American photographer renowned for his use of camera obscura to capture land and cityscapes. The artists’s interest in the early technology came from a demonstration to his students in the early 1990s, and he has since used the technique to transform both outdoor and indoor spaces into agents of the photographic process. The results can look surreal, and Morell has said that “photography’s power is to make even dreams seem quite concrete.” Born on September 17, 1948 in Havana, Cuba, his family emigrated to the United States in 1962. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1977, from where he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts in 1997. Morell continued his studies at Yale University, earning an MFA in 1981. The artist currently lives and works in Boston, MA, and was the subject of the documentary Shadow of the House (2007).

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    The seller has recorded the following condition for this lot:
    There are faint scratches on photograph on left side, center and right edge. See images. This work was acquired “new” in the frame from Fraenkel Gallery, so these scratches were already part of the print. For a formal report, please email Amelia Wilson at awilson@artnet.com.

    Definition Key
    Area
    Image The central image area, composition, or focal point; the area inside the margins/plate marks.
    Margin Areas bordering the central image, outside the plate marks, or the perimeter area.
    Edge The farthest edge of the object.
    Verso The reverse/back of the object.



    Degree
    Minor An existing condition which generally does not involve risk of loss.
    Moderate Noticeable damage, increasing in severity and/or size; should be monitored or corrected by a conservator.
    Major Distinct, recognizable damage; the stability of the work is questionable and risk is a factor. Requires the attention of a conservator.
    Extreme Advanced and severe damage; work is insecure and at great risk.

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    Provenance:
    • Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, 1997
    • Private Collection, San Francisco
    • Ships From: California, USA
    • Shipping Dimensions: 36.5 x 44 x 1 in. (92.71 x 111.76 x 2.54 cm.)
    • Frame Material: Wood
    • Framed Under: Plexi
    Accepted: Wire Transfer
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