Lot  069 Ravenel Autumn Auction 2023

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2023

Home Sweet Home

EDGAR PLANS (Spanish, 1977)

2020

Mixed Media on canvas

100 x 100 cm

Estimate

TWD 3,000,000-5,000,000

HKD 732,000-1,220,000

USD 93,800-156,300

CNY 685,000-1,142,000

Sold Price

TWD 3,840,000

HKD 952,854

USD 122,021

CNY 872,727


Signature

Signed lower left Plans
Titled upper left Home Sweet Home
Signed reverse Plans, titled Home Sweet Home and dated 2020

+ OVERVIEW

Edgar Plans was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1977. From a young age, he was captivated by graffiti, urban art, and comic books. He picked up pencils and crayons and painted on any wall or sidewalk he could reach. And the typing sound of his father, who was a science fiction writer, accompanied him all the time.

Plans and his siblings used to draw on a table in their father's office, and the atmosphere at home is always artistic and cozy. Any form of creativity was encouraged, and as he recalls, "I never encountered any limitations." It wasn't until he was 15 years old that he decided to learn more techniques. He spent two years working with the artist José María Ramos. This experience made him even more adept at expressing his free thoughts through painting. Subsequently, Plans continued his studies and earned a degree in Art History from the University of Oviedo in Spain.

The artwork “Home Sweet Home” is part of Edgar Plans' "Animal Heroes" series. In this series, the artist has created entirely different hero figures. Innocent and childlike characters wear colorful headgears, and their large, pure eyes reflect their unguarded and transparent inner selves. Their round and adorable appearance exudes a sense of playfulness.

The artwork features a graffiti-laden background that resembles a miniature cityscape. Plans combines his love for street art and children's illustration, both of which he considers "especially free forms of art." Behind the colorful and vibrant imagery, the artist conveys his observations and commentary on social and political issues. Plans once mentioned, "My animal heroes are intended to be used to criticize human destruction of the Earth, resistance against gender violence, racism, and negative emotions like envy."

In "Home Sweet Home," the superheroes are depicted on a maze-like structure constructed from ladders and platforms. They are freely drawing with colored pencils or looking around to find their way. In the background, there are scribbled phrases like "Paris Can Wait" and "Wrong Way," which are in line with the theme. "Paris Can Wait" is a reference to a film with the same name, which portrays the female protagonist, Anne, coming to terms with the past and rediscovering hope during an unexpected journey. The artwork appears to capture a sense of adventure and exploration, perhaps echoing the idea that life's path can sometimes take unexpected and transformative turns.

In the hustle and bustle of a life filled with one destination after another, Plans' superheroes pick up their paint brushes to color their surroundings with their inner aspirations. "To me, kindness and the ability to warm people's hearts are the true powers that heroes should possess," he says. These heroes, with their innocence, goodness, and fearless hearts, bring a heartwarming power to the cold gray world. They represent the artist's yearning for spiritual freedom and the belief in the transformative and uplifting impact of kindness on the world.

Edgar Plans held solo exhibitions in Moscow "The Freedom to Dream and Want to Be" at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art in 2021, in Paris "Once Upon a Time the French Literature" at the Almine Rech Gallery in 2021 and in Brussels "The Walls" at the Almine Rech Gallery from 2021 to 2022. His works are collected by institutions such as the National Museum of Fine Arts in Cuba, the Asturias Art Museum, the Government Committee of Asturias, the Eduardo Úrculo Municipal Museum of Fine Arts in Langreo, and the LABoral Technology and Creative Industries Centre in Spain.
Related Info

Select: Modern & Contemporary Art

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2023

Saturday, December 2, 2023, 4:00pm