Palm Beach Modern Auctions Offers Selection of Contemporary Art & Design

Pop artist George Segal’s work interacts directly with the viewer’s psychology, a difference compared to other 20^th-century Pop art that focused on daily mass-produced objects. The New York-based sculptor was famous for his life-sized human body sculptures hosted in public spaces like coffee shops and train stations. His figurative sculptures momentarily drifted the viewer away from the fast-paced world and allowed them to focus on their inner self. Palm Beach Modern Auctions’ upcoming event highlights a monumental sculpture by George Segal. Circus Acrobats features two life-sized figurines of trapeze artists trying to catch each other. The 1989 ceiling-suspended sculpture features Segal’s signature casting style with rough surfaces and a bright white color.

The Acrobats by Fernand Léger emphasizes the artist’s variant form of Cubism involving tubular shapes, popularly known as Tubism. In 1917, Léger returned to Paris after suffering a war injury. The painter spent most of his time exploring Parisian life, including the famous Montmartre circus Cirque Médrano. The Acrobats is a 1952 gouache painting of two contortionists against a natural background. The brightly colored painting also highlights the tubular forms of the acrobats’ limbs, a prime Tubism example by Léger. Two graffiti art-inspired drawings by Jean-Michel Basquiat will be available as well.

For fashion collectors and enthusiasts, the auction will offer a collection of Hermès handbags. Showcased is a Birkin 25 handbag launched in 1980. The sale also includes sculptures by Pablo Picasso and Louise Nevelson, Alexandre Noll furniture, Christofle and Tiffany & Co. silverware, and a Kenneth Noland scarf. Interested collectors can view the entire catalog and register to bid online on Bidsquare.