Roger Brown

(American, 1941-1997)

Museum of What's Happening Now, 1992

screenprint

signed, dated, and inscribed A.P. 7 in pencil

17 x 13 inches.

Property from the Collection of Gregory Brown

Printed by Landfall Press, Chicago

Provenance:

The Artist

Thence by descent to the current owner

Lot Note:

Museum of What’s Happening Now is, according to Gregory Brown, a “sarcastic slur to the New York Abstract Expressionists” and the art critics who praised their superiority. Splashing paint on a canvas did not appeal to Roger. He drew heavy influence, instead, from Regionalist artists Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood, among others, admiring their stylized takes on neat, prosaic subjects. Roger believed that the Abstract Expressionists were unremarkable, that anyone could make what they were making. Condemning the arrogance of the New York art scene, he made this piece to prove it. The splatters of red, brown, and yellow send an unforgiving message: you do not have to be in New York to splash paint.

We would like to thank Gregory Brown for his contribution to the cataloguing of this lot.

Unframed.
Sheet: 20 x 16 1/8 inches.

Very slight uneven toning to sheet; 6 hinge remnants along edges of upper third of sheet verso; appears to be in overall good condition with bright, fresh colors. Please request additional images.

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Roger Ward

Vice President, Head of Department, Design

[email protected]312.447.3280

Ward brings over 20 years of deep and wide-ranging design experience to this role. Before joining Freeman’s, he worked in the Design department of a prominent New York-based auction house focused on in 20th-century furniture and design with a particular interest in European furniture from the second half of the 20th century. He also co-owned and operated Full Circle Modern, a successful vintage design store in Brooklyn specializing in furniture from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Mr. Ward also has a broad background in real estate, as an appraiser, broker, rehabber, and investor.

"I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to enter an already robust Design program with Freeman’s. In the coming years, I look forward to expanding this legacy by continuing to feature Design auctions in Chicago and Philadelphia. We will be looking to curate future auctions based on our existing strengths in 20th-century design by building our presence in the contemporary Design space and strengthening the offerings that explore the connections of Fine Art and Design by introducing present-day artists to the market," commented Roger Ward.

Zack Wirsum

SVP, Head of Department, Post War and Contemporary Art

[email protected]312.600.6069

Mr. Wirsum joined the firm in 2007 as a Fine Art registrar and became a department specialist in 2013, with a focus on Post War and Contemporary art. Through his vision, the department has achieved record breaking prices. Mr. Wirsum evaluates and appraises well over 5,000 works of art each year, collaborating with leading international committees and experts on authentication. Prior to joining Freeman's, Mr. Wirsum served as an assistant director and conservator at the Chicago Conservation Center. He received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a practicing painter with gallery representation.

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Roger Brown

(American, 1941-1997)

Museum of What's Happening Now, 1992

screenprint

signed, dated, and inscribed A.P. 7 in pencil

17 x 13 inches.

Property from the Collection of Gregory Brown

Printed by Landfall Press, Chicago

Provenance:

The Artist

Thence by descent to the current owner

Lot Note:

We would like to thank Gregory Brown for his contribution to the cataloguing of this lot.

Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Art + Design

Museum of What's Happening Now, 1992

Art + Design

Museum of What's Happening Now, 1992

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