Raw-War

Details

BRUCE NAUMAN (B. 1941)
Raw-War
lithograph in colors, on Arches paper, 1971, signed and dated in pencil, numbered 22⁄100 (there were also ten artist's proofs), co-published by Castelli Graphics and Nicholas Wilder Gallery, New York and Los Angeles, the full sheet, in very good condition, framed
Sheet: 22 3⁄8 x 28 ¼ in. (568 x 720 mm.)

Literature

Cordes 7

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Lot Essay

This is one of a series of lithographs made by Nauman involving word-play. The artist has drawn the palindrome, 'Raw-War' repeatedly in a semi-transparent perspective grid. There are four receding parallel rows of the same three letters, and in the first, the letter R is reversed, so that the first row may be read as RAW or WAR. In the second row 'War' may only be read backwards and similar reversals take place in the other two rows. This is one of Nauman's first lithographs, and relates to an earlier neon sign work, which flashes orange and red. Nauman uses the association of color, sound and image to enrich and to broaden meaning. He has acknowledged that there is a political dimension to this work.

- The Tate Gallery (Online)

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