William T. Georgis home in La Jolla, California.
Photo: Roger Davies
Works from the Collection of Richard D. Marshall and William T. Georgis Go Up for Auction
The art- and design-world powerhouses assembled an exceptional collection of works by George Condo, Sol LeWitt, and others that are coming to market at Sotheby’s
George Condo, Untitled (Clown). Photo: courtesy of Sothebys
Gathered over many decades, the extraordinary collection of architect and designer William T. Georgis and the late Richard D. Marshall reflects a deep passion for the arts and a close affinity with artists. A selection of their masterworks are now hitting the block at Sotheby’s as part of the Contemporary Curated sale that takes place on Friday, March 1, in New York.
Marshall was widely respected in the art world—he worked as a curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art for some 20 years and served as the editor of the legendary literary magazine The Paris Review from 1975 to 1990. With a discerning eye, he had a special knack for spotting up-and-coming talent as well as working with some of the best known modern and contemporary artists, forming close and long-lasting relationships with them throughout his life. His many contributions include important exhibitions and publications on artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Robert Mapplethorpe, Isamu Noguchi, Alex Katz, Ed Ruscha, and Christopher Wool, among others.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Yen). Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Magic Puzzles Set). Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
Marshall’s spouse, William T. Georgis, is the head of the trailblazing architecture firm Georgis & Mirgorodsky, and is well-known for his unique vision that harmoniously blends the best of art and design. Together, the couple lived a remarkable and creative life that celebrated how to coexist with boundary-defying art.
Highlights from “The Collection of William T. Georgis and Richard D. Marshall” include four works on paper by Basquiat including Untitled (Magic Puzzles Set), 1983, which was inspired by one of the artist’s many trips to Tokyo, and captures him at the height of his interest in Japan and Japanese culture. Marshall curated the watershed retrospective for Basquiat, which traveled to The Menil Collection, Houston; Des Moines Art Center, Iowa; and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Alabama. In his lifetime, he was one of the artist’s biggest advocates, and the work—a gift to Marshall from Basquiat—has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000.
Keith Haring, Drawings for Paris Review. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's
Keith Haring’s Drawings for Paris Review, estimated to fetch between $80,000 and $120,000, exemplifies the graphic style for which the artist is best known, with figures shaking and spinning joyously within the frame. Marshall was an early supporter of Haring’s work and career and had invited him to design the cover of the magazine’s fall 1982 edition.
Another standout piece is a striking 1984 black-and-white work on paper by Ed Ruscha, titled Sickness, which the artist gave to Marshall in 2003. It joins other exemplary works by Chuck Close, George Condo, Mike Kelley, Tala Madani, Jack Pierson, Richard Prince, Kenny Scharf, and Christopher Wool that are crossing the block during the March 1 live sale.
Ed Ruscha, Sickness. Photo: courtesy of Sotheby's
“Richard was unusual for a young curator, because he had a great empathy for artists,” says Richard Armstrong, the former director of the Guggenheim Museum. “He had a very acute visual intelligence.”
Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated sale not only includes pieces from the collection of William T. Georgis and Richard D. Marshall, but also major works from other celebrated collectors, including Chara Schreyer, Emily Fisher Landau, and John Cheim, making the morning auction one to watch.
Cover: William T. Georgis home in La Jolla, California.
Photo: Roger Davies
