Seraphine Pick is particularly known for her elegant and figurative paintings which capture liminal events and experiences. Often haunting, they tend to utilise strong colour and shifting forms to generate an emotional or visceral response. The conceptual elements within her better works balance and perhaps undermine any connections to neo-romanticism. This modest work on paper's delightful for both its youthful whimsy combined with its strength or urgency of communication. An old fashioned school desk set alight but surrounded by pale dots, some of which contain numerals from an undisclosed sequence. The separate layer of dots, desk on fire, and numerals generate a three part converation which holds our attention. I think it reminds us that all forms of rebellion, even those considered childish or attention seeking have multiple facets to consider. Auction estimate (NZ $1600-$2200).
Price realised at auction NZ $1,777.50