Adam's Mid-Century Modern 19th November 2019

26 32 CECIL KING (1921-1986) NEXUS Oil on canvas, 128 x 92cm Signed, inscribed and dated (19)’72 verso. Provenance: With David Hendriks Gallery, Dublin and Peppercanister Gallery, label verso. Upon returning from a trip to Berlin in 1970, Cecil King began to work on a series of paintings, bearing the same titles, which reflect his future preoccupation with single block colours and the use of finely drawn lines to delineate the picture space. This would continue into his Nexus series of the following year which deviated from the focus on a named place to the more general connotation of an elemental link between people and things. In this present work, the subtle angling of the white lines either side of the grey paint draw the eye into the centre and create a sense of movement as if the composition is titling on an axis. The bright yellow ground occupies much of the composition, set against, but distinct from the deep black background. There is often a discussion of separation and divided spaces within King’s work, in which he uses broad expanses of primary colour to communicate across these boundaries. It has been linked to social and political issues such as the contested landscape of Berlin during the 1970s, but in the Nexus series, of which this present work is included, the artist has drawn more attention to the visual interactions between line, form and colour of the painted surface. Despite the fact that the works in this series have the appearance of following strict geometric formulas, King did not meticulously measure out the lines, instead he used masking tape for the arrangement of the linear elements. The paint was then applied with a sponge to create a heightened materiality to the painted surface. He was very interested in all aspects of the artistic process, mixing his own paints to create very specific colour tones. The minimalist aesthetic is imbued with a more sensual and organic expression. King’s use of abstract graphic shapes became central to his artistic language, as tools to purify sensation and communicate directly with the viewer. Niamh Corcoran, October 2019 € 4,000 - 6,000