NEW YORK – On Tuesday, February 28, starting at 11 am Eastern time, Capsule Auctions will present a sale titled more, more, more! Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
Graciela Kartofel was something of a Renaissance woman. Author, teacher, philanthropist, curator – these are just some of the titles that often appear alongside her name. Endlessly passionate about Latin American art, she spent her life studying and writing on the subject. This passion, which dictated her professional life, was reflected in her personal collecting habits as well; Dr. Kartofel amassed a collection of more than 800 works. Capsule Auctions is collaborating with the Kartofel estate to auction items from her impressive collection.
Dr. Kartofel approached collecting artwork with the same sense of purpose she brought to studying it, viewing it as a constant learning experience, and as an opportunity to build a deeper understanding of art, culture and the world at large. Even during a time when the art market largely ignored and marginalized Latin American artists, Dr. Kartofel championed them. Not only did she give her academic attention to young emerging artists in particular, but she also made their work a part of her personal collection. In celebration of February 28th’s more, more, more! sale, which features more than 60 pieces from the Kartofel collection, Capsule Auctions will spotlight work by its favorite featured artists, some of whom are making their American auction debuts.
Marysole Worner Baz has been credited with ushering in what has been dubbed a “new era of Mexican expressionism.” Building on the tradition of the three greats of the genre – Gabriel Orozco, Mathias Goeritz, and David Alfaro Siqueros – Baz’s practice was not limited by media. Graciela Kartofel wrote extensively on the artist and became entranced by her sculptural work, three examples of which are included in the upcoming sale. “Without totally separating from nature, [her sculptures] dare to be new presences in art,” Kartofel wrote in a 1989 article. Baz’s beautifully expressive organic wood forms toe the line between the natural and the created. Appearing in the February 28 sale is a piece titled Organic Wood Form that has an estimate of $800-$1,200.
Both strange and delightful, Pedro Friedeberg’s Surrealist body of work has earned him a reputation as one of the most innovative living Mexican artists. Today, his works are held in prominent collections across the world, including those of the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His Hand chairs have endured as the symbol of his oeuvre, recently touted as “Instagram’s favorite” by Architectural Digest. On offer is a miniature Friedeberg Hand Foot table estimated at $700-$1,000.
Naomi Siegmann described her practice as oscillating between abstracted realism and hyper-realism. As is the case with her piece titled 4 Small Works, which is included in Capsule’s upcoming sale, the artist is interested in depicting everyday objects outside of their usual contexts. In doing so, she offers viewers the opportunity to inspect the forms of these objects in solitude and appreciate the objects in separation from their function. 4 Small Works is estimated at $1,000-$2,000.
Through Dr. Kartofel’s many writings, those she inspired, and her purposive collection, her deep passion for Latin American art and artists persists. Upon donating her vast book collection to Denver’s Latino Cultural Art Center a few years ago, Dr. Kartofel said, “… the knowledge I have to share is rich and I feel a great responsibility to share it with those who are curious to learn about different cultures.” This reverence for learning and teaching, which guided her life and work, has in turn become her legacy.
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