FRIEZE MASTERS 2025

A centrepiece of the stand is Hans Hartung’s monumental painting T1982–R18, executed in 1982 during the artist’s productive years in Antibes, France. This work exemplifies Hartung’s experimental techniques, employing a customised spray gun to achieve a seamless gradient from black through shades of blue and green to a luminous yellow. A band of dynamic black strokes – made using brooms and olive branches dipped in paint – juxtaposes violent gesture with a field of serenity. The painting’s haunting duality and technical innovation make it one of the most significant examples of Hartung’s late oeuvre.

In conjunction with the gallery’s current London exhibition, Barry Flanagan: Two by Two, the booth will feature a major bronze by Flanagan: Baby Elephant (1984). Known for his imaginative use of animal forms, particularly the hare, Flanagan’s sculptures explore themes of movement, humour, and theatricality. Baby Elephant, which sees an elephant perform a balancing act with a balletic hare on a circus drum, embodies the fluidity and playful energy central to the artist’s work.

The gallery will also present a group of works by Jean Dubuffet, including the pivotal painting Personnage en marche 4 septembre 1962, and vignettes relating to his Kowloon series, one of the last bodies of work the artist produced. Also on view is La Source de Barbe juin 1959, an intricate assemblage of Chinese ink on paper from Dubuffet’s Barbes series, which evolved from his earlier Texturologies. These pieces demonstrate Dubuffet’s lifelong pursuit of a ‘truth beyond resemblance.’

Another highlight is David Hockney’s Gregory in the Pool (1978), a unique paper pulp picture from the artist’s iconic Paper Pools series. Created in collaboration with master printer Kenneth Tyler, this work captures Hockney’s fascination with water, light, and the human figure, and represents a key moment in his experimentation with materials and technique.

Completing the presentation is a powerful abstraction by Pierre Soulages: Peinture 130 x 97 cm, 14 juin 1974. This work represents the height of Soulages’ early period, bridging natural forms with the gestural vocabulary of post-war Parisian abstraction, notably the Tachisme movement.