VAN NUYS, Calif. – LA Modern’s first auction under the auspices of Rago/Wright will be Art + Design, to be held on October 24 at the LAMA showroom in Van Nuys, California. Among the leading lots on offer are the iconic 1986 Roy Lichtenstein sculpture Brushstroke III, estimated at $150,000-$180,000, and a rare and important T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Mesa table, estimated at $100,000-$150,000.

Made in tandem with Tyler Graphics, Lichtenstein’s Brushstroke III brings the Pop artist’s playfulness and precision into three dimensions. Though Lichtenstein’s fascination with the brushstroke dates as far back as 1965, it wasn’t until the 1980s that he translated the subject into sculpture. “[Lichtenstein was] a painter who loved painting, but also wanted to morph it into every other medium possible,” notes Jack Cowart, Executive Director of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. Brushstroke III stands as a crowning example of Lichtenstein’s signature brand of irony, technical mastery, and willingness to experiment.

Another auction highlight, the T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Mesa table, is at once a stunning work of design and an early example of mid-century experimentation with natural forms and biomorphism. Robsjohn-Gibbings created this design through his 1950s partnership with Widdicomb Furniture Company, a collaboration that was met with critical success. With its gentle asymmetry and tiered structure, the Mesa table takes its name from the landscape of the American Southwest — indeed, mesa is Spanish for table.

“This is the first auction in what promises to be an exciting and robust partnership,” says Rago/Wright CEO Richard Wright, “I’m delighted to launch our presence in Los Angeles.”

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