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Kenny Scharf
Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me, The 1st Commandment Lithograph Signed/N

1987

$3,400
£2,556.53
€2,968.75
CA$4,748.03
A$5,265.92
CHF 2,765.40
MX$64,669.18
NOK 35,007.34
SEK 33,012.39
DKK 22,150.12
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About the Item

Kenny Scharf Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me (The First Commandment), 1987 5-Color lithograph on Dieu Donne handmade paper with deckled edges 24 × 18 inches Hand signed, dated and numbered 13/84 Unframed Printed by James Miller and Maurice Sanchez at Derriere L'Etoile Studios, Published by Art Issue Editions, Inc. This five color lithograph on Dieu Donne hand made paper with deckled edges is a pencil signed, dated and numbered Artists Proof from the limited edition of 15. This classic 1980s Kenny Scharf print was created as part of the 1987 portfolio "The Ten Commandments", in which ten top Jewish American artists were each invited to choose an Old Testament commandment to interpret in contemporary lithographic form. The "Chosen" artists were, in order of Commandment: Kenny Scharf, Joseph Nechvatal, Gretchen Bender, April Gornik, Robert Kushner, Nancy Spero, Vito Acconci, Jane Dickson, Judy Rifka and Richard Bosman. This lithograph is in excellent condition; unframed with deckled edges so it would look terrific when floated and framed. This is the first time it will have been removed from the original portfolio case. (shown). Lisa Liebmann, who wrote the introduction to the collection, observed: "...The image has, for most of us, replaced the word..." With respect to the present work, she writes, " Kenny Scharf's affinity for the FIRST COMMANDMENT could come as a surprise to those who thought his pantheon of T.V. deities and cartoon gods idolatrous. But Scharf's one-eyed gonzoed apparition takes full command of its position on a concocted Sinai - already acclaimed by the documentary-style hordes in the background and oggles us with the news that there is at last a joyful god in our midst only if we can tune into it..." Excellent condition - from the original portfolio
  • Creator:
    Kenny Scharf (1958, American)
  • Creation Year:
    1987
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1745216528012

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Kenny Scharf Val Wong Worm, 2006 Oil, acrylic, silkscreen and rhinestones on paper Signed, dated and titled by the artist on the die-cut window on the back Frame Included: elegantly floated and framed in a museum quality white wood frame with a die-cut window to reveal the signature on the back of the artwork An impressive unique Kenny Scharf work on paper - with an equally riveting back story. This work was gifted directly by Kenny Scharf to the original owner, who is the collector who commissioned Scharf to make his famous Souped-Up, Decked-Out Coupe De Ville Cadillac Art Car which sold for about US $400,000 at Heritage Auctions in 2023. Measurements: Frame: 49.5 x 35 x 2 inches Artwork: 44 x 30 inches This work is accompanied by a letter of provenance stating, "This letter will serve to outline the provenance of the Kenny Scharf "Val Wong Worm" work on paper from 2006. In 2005, I and my two business partners in the firm Trackside Brothers, LLC commissioned Kenny Scharf to paint/customize a 1960 Cadillac for my personal collection. The car was essentially brand new having only 5,300 miles at the time of commissioning. Knowing that the year and model were on of Kenny's favorites, he was keen on the undertaking but somewhat apprehensive due to the pristine condition of the car and came to our studio in Delray Beach, Florida to undertake the project. In advance Kenny had shipped three boxes of "Object d'art" to use in the creation what would become "Astral Uber Cumulo Nimbus Atlantian Express." I was honored to be granted the role of Kenny's assistant for the four week "transformation." Kenny stated at the time that I was the only collector to act as his assistant on any of his art projects. In order to properly document the creative process from start to finish we hired Five Star Productions of Boca Raton, Florida to shoot the project resulting in the documentary "Kenny and the Cadillac." Upon its completion we "launched" the car into the world at Art Basel Miami in 2006. We had the launch party at the Raleigh hotel with the Caddy on a rotating turntable by the pool. There were hundreds of gallery/museum directors at the event which garnered significant press. Kenny and his friends conducted a "Cave Man" performance piece dancing and singing around the car, all of which was filmed for the documentary. In appreciation for the time, effort and expense of the project, documentary and launch party, Kenny gifted each of us a work on paper from his "Worm" series of 2006. My gift...
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Unique drawing on Tony Shafrazi poster, signed & inscribed to Warhol's boyfriend
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Kenny Scharf Original drawing on Tony Shafrazi poster, signed and inscribed to Andy Warhol's last boyfriend Jon Gould, 1984 Permanent marker drawing on Kenny Scharf Tony Shafrazi Gallery exhibition poster (hand signed and inscribed by Kenny Scharf) Boldly signed and inscribed to Andy Warhol's last boyfriend Jon Gould Frame included: Framed in a museum quality wood frame with UV plexiglass. Measurements: Frame: 35 x 28.5 x 1.5 inches Print 28.25 x 22 inches Own a piece of Pop Art history! This is a unique drawing hand signed and inscribed by Kenny Scharf, done on a vintage collectible 1984 poster from the legendary Tony Shafrazi Gallery. If you saw "The Andy Warhol Diaries" on Netflix, you'd know about Warhol's relationship with Jon Gould - Andy's last boyfriend; tragically, Warhol would become Gould's last boyfriend as well, when, soon after, Gould would die of AIDS at the young age of 33 Kenny Scharf created an original drawing, done in marker, and inscribed it to Jon Gould (featured prominently in Andy Warhol's Diaries and the eponymous Netflix series) - and it had not been seen since the 1980s. Jon Gould was a New England educated former Vice President of Corporate Communications at Paramount Pictures - a Boston Brahmin whose real claim to fame was as Andy Warhol's last boyfriend. This work was acquired from the widely publicized sale of the collection of Jon Gould - -a treasure trove of valuable gifts and art works by Warhol and others like Kenny Scharf, Basquiat and Keith Haring to Gould - that had not been seen in nearly four decades. This is one of the works from that impressive sale. Below are links to two of the many articles about the collection of Jon Gould in the New York Times, Artnet News and the New York Post respectively. About Kenny Scharf: Kenny Scharf (b. 1958, United States) is a renowned artist affiliated with the 1980’s East Village Art movement in New York. Scharf developed a distinct and uniquely personal artistic style in paintings as well as sculpture, alongside his mentor Andy Warhol, and contemporaries like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring with whom he pioneered contemporary street art. References to popular culture reoccur throughout his works, such as appropriated cartoon characters from the Flintstones and Jetsons, as well as imagined anthropomorphic creatures. Through ecstatic compositions and a dazzling color palette, Scharf presents an immersive viewing experience that is both intimate and fresh. Scharf’s multifaceted practice—spanning painting, sculpture, installation work, murals, performance and fashion—reflects his dedication to the creation of dynamic forms of art that deconstruct existing artistic hierarchies, echoing the philosophy of Pop artists. Yet Scharf’s artistic significance expands beyond the art historical terrain of Pop Art; the artist instead coined the term “Pop Surrealist” to describe his one-of-a-kind practice. His inclusion in the 1985 Whitney Biennial marked the start of his international phenomenon, a reputation that continues to thrive today. Courtesy of Almine Rech MORE ABOUT JON GOULD: Warhol wrote extensively on Jon Gould in his diaries. 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Jay knew his brother “had some type of relationship” with Warhol in the 1980s, though Jon always remained discreet about it. “We were very close, identical twins, but we never talked a lot about his sexuality,” Jay, now 68, explained. “It was a different time.” Yet, he was still stunned to read the poetry and love notes Jon wrote to the older artist. “I didn’t realize the relationship was as deep as it was.” Actually, no one really knew. Gould was Warhol’s last romance, a young Paramount executive with floppy hair and preppy good looks who died tragically at 33. And though Warhol frequently mentioned him in his famed diaries, published posthumously in 1989, the artist’s dashed-off musings gave the impression that Jon was more of a crush than a genuine partner...Gould didn’t so much enter into Warhol’s life as Warhol willed him into it. It was April 1981, and Warhol, then 52, was still reeling from his breakup with Jed Johnson... Jed left that December, and that spring Warhol confessed to feeling lonely: “I’ve got these desperate feelings that nothing means anything. And then I decide that I should try to fall in love, and that’s what I’m doing now with Jon Gould.” Gould was a 26-year-old Paramount exec: a New England WASP with a lithe, strong physique and charismatic personality, who looked straight. Warhol reasoned: “Jon is a good person to be in love with because he has his own career, and I can develop movie ideas with him, you know? And maybe he can even convince Paramount to advertise in Interview, too. Right? So my crush on him will be good for business.” Warhol began courting Gould with a vengeance, sending extravagant bouquets of roses to his office at Paramount. 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