872/​861

Ib Geertsen (b. Copenhagen 1919, d. s.p. 2009)

“Rundbevægelse II” (Circular movement II), 1997. IG-nr. 1603. Unsigned. Mobile in yellow and red painted iron. H. 105 cm. Perimeter 320 cm.

Literature: Exhibition catalogue “Line, Shape and Colour”, Nyfossum, Blaafarveværk, Modum, 2003. Presented on the front page as well as on page 21. Exhibited: Nyfossum, Blaafarveværk, Modum, 2003. With the establishment of Linien II in 1947, Ib Geertsen undoubtedly becomes one of the main forces of the post-war era's development of the concrete imagery in Danish art. Geertsen's style is - apart from the figurative works he made early on in his artistic career - easily recognizable. Some elements appear in much of his work, such as the symmetrical drop, which in this way can be seen as a form of consistent artistic logo.

Both as painter and sculptor, Geertsen's expression is minimalistic and simplified in its use of colours. Frequently, he uses spectral colours, which are contiguous to each other in the colour circle, such as yellow, orange and red. The result is harmonious and balanced, but still based on intuition, freedom and play – such as the drop, which through the juxtaposition of circles and straight lines contain both stagnation and movement. The seemingly static is thereby transformed into something mutable.

Geertsen's kinetic sculptures, the mobiles, can roughly be divided into two groups: The soft and organic, composed of circular sections, and then the more delicate and nervous, formed by broken lines. (Finn Terman Frederiksen: “Colour Shape Balance. About the painter and sculptor Ib Geertsen” p. 117) At the auction we offer two beautiful mobiles in a large format. One standing, the other free-hanging. Together, they exemplify the many qualities within each of the two categories.

Geertsen himself describes his mobiles as drawings in the air. “My work ... is the result of working with spaces in many ways. Space arises from lines, colours, balances and movements. With these tools, I show that things are straight, slanted, round, square, high, low, front, rear as well as sharp, pointed, cold, warm and endless and much more.” (Quote by Ib Geertsen from “Line, Shape and Colour”, exhibition catalogue for Nyfossum, Blaafarveværk, Modum, 2003.)

This lot is subject to Artist's Royalty.
Condition

Condition report on request.

Additional Remarks

Please note: The item is subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. In the event of a hammer price of DKK 50,000 or more, including buyer’s premium, the buyer must submit a copy of a valid photo ID and proof of address in order to collect the item.

Auction

Paintings & sculptures, 6 June 2017

Category
Estimate

100,000 DKK

Sold

Price realised

100,000 DKK