Collection
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Title
Three men in cravats triptych
1995
Artist
Francis Alÿs
Belgium, Mexico
1959 -
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About
Francis Alÿs’ work is at once surreal and anchored in everyday experiences of city life. Much of his work occurs in or directly references urban streets and has a peculiar, awkward charm that highlights the strangeness of the ordinary.
Both ‘New York triptych’ and ‘Three men in cravats triptych’ draw upon the vernacular of Mexican sign painting, blurring the boundaries between commercial and fine art practices. Taking up the themes of repetition and authenticity, these works are collaborative, with Alÿs making a small painting that local sign painters then reproduce on a larger scale, each painter inevitably imbuing the image with their own subtle shifts in style and scale.
Details
Date
1995
Materials used
oil on board, enamel on metal series consisting of one painting by Francis Alÿs (left) and sign paintings by Juan Garcia (centre) and Emilio Rivera (right)
Dimensions
installation dimensions variable :
a - oil on board; 30 x 21.2 x 1.4 cm
b - enamel on metal; 122 x 92 x 2 cm
c - enamel on metal; 65 x 80.5 x 6 cm
Signature & date
Signed and dated l.r. verso panel a, black fibre-tipped pen "Francis Alÿs.../ ...1995".
Signed and dated l.r. verso panel c, black fibre-tipped pen "FRANCIS ALŸS/.../... 1995".
Signed and dated right edge verso panel c, black fibre-tipped pen "...Francis Alÿs... 1995".
Credit
John Kaldor Family Collection
Location
Not on display
Accession number
L2010.5.a-c
URL / Share
Francis Alÿs
Three men in cravats triptych
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Exhibition history
Journey to now: John Kaldor art projects and collection, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, 18 Apr 2003–06 Jul 2003
Seven artists from the John Kaldor Family Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 May 2015–04 Sep 2016
Referenced in 2 publications
Bibliography
John Kaldor family collection: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2011, 170, 172-173 (colour illus.).
Journey to now: John Kaldor art projects and collection, Adelaide, 2003, 42 (colour illus.), 60.