Legs Icon

Chess

Thursday, November 20th, 2008

The Auction: Statement of Intent

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

I create the paintings as an offering to my community. You are my community, and the exhibition and auction constitute the performative ritual to gift that offering to you. In exchange, I ask that you offer the appropriate sacrifice. In the auction format, the person willing to make the greatest sacrifice receives the offering. In this case the currency of exchange is the good old greenback. Ideally, the sacrifice could be measured with respect to resources -i.e. the wealthy pay more and the less wealthy pay less. Some of my most meaningful sales have come from fellow artists who have had to pay monthly installments over a long period of time. That’s sacrifice! I havent found a way to accommodate this difference in resources yet, but my interest in making the art available to anyone is significant in my decision to handle my exhibition and sales independent of a third party gallery or art dealer.

As it is my intention to re-describe the transfer of value (sale of art) in these terms, it is also important to me to energize the moment of value transfer via the incantation of the auctioneer. Auction chant is beautiful. Beauty conducts value like gold conducts electricity. Here is a beautiful example of Cecil Ward’s chant at a livestock auction in 1964. And here is Stenson Clontz in 1985. Amazing!

For the Legs Icon Auction on November 23rd, 2008, the bidding will be guided by the chant of auctioneer Michael Powers. Michael cut his auctioneering teeth at large vintage car sales in Puerto Rico. We are in for a ride and a treat - but dont worry! - he will only chant as fast as you can hear him!

Posted in Essays, Legs Icon, News and Events |

The Auction: Deals and Details

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

First, the data:

What: All the paintings in the exhibition, Legs Icon, will be sold via live auction.

How: They will be sold absolute, with no reserve – that is to say, no minimum price.

Where and When:

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008, 4-7pm

Housing Works Bookstore and Cafe

126 Crosby Street

New York, NY 10002

If you would like to place bids over the phone, via a representative, during the live auction, please contact me.

Deals and Details:

Admission is FREE. Registration is REQUIRED. (If you place a bid we need to know who you are and that you agree that you are responsible for your bid.) You can register in two ways: create an account on the Winged Way Auctions site, or in person at the Housing Works on the 23rd.

I would like to encourage you to get involved in the Winged Way Auctions website, and so I am offering you these incentives:

Free copy of Legs Icon: Exhibition and Auction Catalogue if you register for the auction by creating a Winged Way Auctions account. (It will otherwise cost $10.)
$100 discount if you place a winning bid online. (So, bid as high as you can on a piece online, and if no one is will to pay more, then you saved $100.)

I would also like to encourage you to become patrons while my work is still modestly priced, and to remain patrons as the value of my work grows. So, for this auction, and for all future purchases of paintings directly from me, I offer you this:

10% discount to patrons (i.e. you currently own a painting by me, Ian Robertson Duncan). If you are a first time buyer, and you buy more than one piece at this sale, this discount will apply to all but the most expensive piece you buy.

Wherefore: Sounds like fun to me!

Posted in Legs Icon, News and Events |

Legs Icon: Exhibition and Auction Catalogue

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

The exhibition and auction catalogue is now available. Click here to download the PDF. It is a large file - it might take a minute. The catalogue includes images and lot numbers of all the paintings in the current exhibition and in the upcoming auction on November 23rd at Housing Works. It also includes the essay on the exhibition by Natasha Becker: “When Likeness Breaks With Likeness.” The physical catalogue will be available for $10 at the gallery (beginning Saturday, November 15th), at the auction, and can be ordered online here.

Images and posts relevant to the current exhibition can be seen by clicking on the category “CURRENT SHOW” in the left sidebar. The images are also posted on Winged Way Auctions (the bidding has already begun!).

Posted in Essays, Legs Icon, News and Events |