Mr Brainwash
Happy Birthday Bob Marley – One Love (Red)
About the SessionSpanning 4 centuries of global art history, The International Sale, presents 127 exceptional lots by artists from 27 countries across five continents. The auction highlights masterworks ranging from 17th century European paintings to post-2000 editions by contemporary artist's such as Mr Brainwash (lot 51), Jim Dine (lots 83-86), Isaac Julien (lot 108), Jeff Koons (45), and Lucas Samaras (lot 107 and 110). The sale is anchored by important pieces from Georg Baselitz, Erik Laubscher, Shirin Neshat, and a newly repatriated 1935 portrait by Irma Stern.
The auction's diversity is driven by rare museum-quality highlights, led by Irma Stern's Two Women (lot 31), which returns to South Africa after decades in a Berlin private collection. It is joined by Erik Laubscher's rare recto-verso painting Young Family / Construction (lot 48), an Iranian-American artist Shirin Neshat photographic portrait linked to her award-winning Turbulent installation (lot 66), and a uniquely hand-coloured linocut by German master Georg Baselitz titled Das Pferd, Im Wald und auf der Heide Series (The Horse, in the Forest and on the Heath Series) (lot 72).
LOT 52
Mr Brainwash
Happy Birthday Bob Marley – One Love (Red)
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
signed and numbered 19/74 in pencil in the margin
Notes
Thierry Guetta, whose professional moniker is Mr Brainwash, is a French-born artist who has been based in Los Angeles since he was a teenager. He previously owned a vintage clothing store and was an amateur videographer who became fascinated by street art in 1999 after discovering the secret identity of his cousin, the anonymous French street artist Invader. Mr Brainwash filmed Invader (1969-) at work and, upon returning to the States, found a new subject in Shepard Fairey (1970-) and eventually met the elusive Banksy. It was soon after this meeting that Guetta began creating his own art, a combination of street art and Pop Art, and assumed the pseudonym of Mr Brainwash. His successful 2008 debut exhibition titled Life is Beautiful became the focus of the Oscar-nominated Banksy documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) and his popularity grew. Mr Brainwash held numerous exhibitions including pop-ups at Art Basel Miami, created commemorative 9/11 murals in New York City, and entered into creative partnerships with Coca-Cola and Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee. Madonna, Rick Ross, and Kygo have each commissioned him to create album covers and his work can be seen in the TV shows Billions, Shameless, and The Kardashians.