(Vienna 1947–2012)
Series: “Die Werdung des Seienden”, a series of 5 works, each sheet signed, dated F West 72, all sheets numbered by the artist on the reverse (determining sequence), titled on reverse of sheet 1: Serie:
”Die Werdung des Seienden”, two sheets, gouache on paper, three sheets, gouache, felt pen on paper, one with gold paint, each approx. 15 x 21 cm, framed, (5)

Registered:
Franz West Privatstiftung–Archiv

Provenance:
Private Collection, Vienna - directly from the artist
Dorotheum 16 May 2013, lot 1507
Private Collection, Vienna

See:
Franz West, Proforma, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna, 1996, pages 123 124 125 128 129

Franz West “The becoming of being”.
Enjoyment is taken not merely from the observation of my creators, but through the totality of the physical interpretation, of what is represented by these quasinotations,
Franz West / Reinhard Priessnitz
From: Austria im Rosennetz/Wunderkammer Österreich, MAK, Vienna, /Kunsthaus Zurich, 1996

From the very beginning, West‘s works are very personal and highly original in character, even where, especially in his very first drawings and watercolours, he unmistakably adopts those artistic styles with which he was confronted during his frequent visits to his friend Fred Jellinek, then working at the Galerie Scheer. Amongst these sheets one sees ornamentation and colouring reminiscent of Viennese Jugendstil ot of Hundertwasser, as well as the fantastic-surreal atmosphere and mannered gestures of the Wiener Phanstasten, and faces with the „surrealist beards“ typical of Dali or Leherb. However, essentially such borrowings are neither stylistic takeovers nor altercations with trendsetting ideals; instead they are far more ironic commentaries on the images he encountered, interpreted in a very personal manner. A distanced and ironic reaction to the artistic formulations of others, in particular to those propounded with such vehemence and dogmatism, would remain a key force behind West‘s visual output.