DIETER ROTH, Karnickelköttelkarnickel, 1972 [Rabbit shit-rabbit]

DIETER ROTH, Karnickelkoettelkarnickel (Rabbit-shit rabbit), 1972
21 x 19 x 10 cm
rabbit droppings, straw
verso signed and numbered on label
edition 200
splendid condition
Private collection, margin scheme

Dieter Roth is known for his artist’s books, speedy drawings, sculptures and installations. He was an extreme example of a Fluxus artist using found materials, including rotting food, melt chocolate and, like in this multiple, animal droppings. He once said: ‘Wait, later this will be nothing’. He is known as Dieter Roth and Diter Rot.

This edition is in the collection of the Moma in New York, USA: Dieter Roth, MOMA.

History of prices:
Christie’s, Netherlands € 5.000 – € 7.000 estimate 22 November 2022
Karl & Faber, Munich, Germany € 7.500,- (incl. premium)
Van Ham Kunstauktionen, Cologne € 7.000,- (hammer price) 30 November 2016 – nota bene: same edition number as auctioned on 2 June 2016
Van Ham Kunstauktionen, Cologne € 5.000,- (hammer price) 2 June 2016
Christie’s, Zurich, Switzerland € 8.625,- (hammer price)/€ 10.350,- 5 May 2015
Germann Auktionshaus, Zurich, Switzerland € 11.500,- 11 June 2012

In 1987 Eat Art Galerie in Düsseldorf published “Karnickelköttelkarnickel” in an edition of 250 + 26 AP:

DIETER ROTH, Karnickelkoettelkarnickel (Rabbit-shit rabbit), 1987
21 x 19 x 10 cm
rabbit droppings, straw
edition AP: 26
published by Eat Art Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany

TAKAKO SAITO, unique [performance] garments, 1972

TSaito1972garmentBeetle700

TAKAKO SAITO, unique performance garment [beetle], 1972
ca 72 x 164 cm
cotton, peasant blouse, buttons, embroidery
signed, dated

TSaito1972garmentPinetrees700

TAKAKO SAITO, unique performance garment [pine trees], 1972
ca 68 x 130 cm
cotton, peasant blouse, buttons, embroidery
signed, dated

In the seventies these unique garments have been used by Takako Saito during performances in the US. Both peasant blouses are all-over hand embroidered with flowers, puppets, trees, animals and abstract decorations. Provenance Steven Leiber, New York, USA. Collection Kees van Gelder.

HREINN FRIDFINNSSON, invitation card In-Out Center [hand written invite], 1972

HF1972invite651 Foto: K. van Gelder

HREINN FRIDFINNSSON, invitation card In-Out Center [hand written], 1972
6,5 x 9,8 cm / 7,2 x 10,4 cm
pencil on card / envelope
signed
edition ca 15
published by and handed out by the artist
extremely rare
inv.HF 688

Hreinn Fridfinnsson preferred to avoid to draw attention to his exhibitions. Yet is was important to get some friends and colleagues to his opening. Instead of having a printed invitation card for his solo show in In-Out Center he handed out a completely handwritten invite with name. It could quite well be that this card is the only one that still exists. As this hand made card represents quite well the attitude of Hreinn Fridfinnsson it ought to be considered a piece in itself, actually.

KRISTJAN GUDMUNDSSON, Nidur / Down, 1972 [handmade copy]

KRISTJAN GUDMUNDSSON, Nidur / Down, 1972
26,4 x 27,2 x 2,2 cm
offset, SC, book object, hand bound by the artist
edition 150, of which very few handmade by the artist
signed, numbered
condition: excellent, although aged, some traces of use on couver
extremely rare
published by Silver Press, Reykjavik / Amsterdam, 1972
Collection Kees van Gelder, Amsterdam
p.o.r.
inv.KG 000-pr

‘Nidur / Down’ is an object book a hand bound by Kristjan Gudmundsson who produced several of these books in Daniel Stalpertstraat, Amsterdam, in the seventies. It is a book about the ‘Highest point of land’ and the ‘Lowest point of sea’ containing many parallel horizontal lines on each page. The total amount of lines are equal to the distance of the highest point on earth and the deepest point in the sea.

The production of this self published book by Silver Press – owned by the artist – was very laborious and no more than ‘circa 30-50’ [sic] copies were hand bound, as stated by the artist. (Probably much less have been made.) In 1982 Ottenhausen Verlag in Aachen / Munich, Germany, took over the project and published a limited edition of 100 copies.