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James Lee Byars — Penis Letter to Jon Thompson
James Lee Byars

Penis Letter to Jon Thompson

1985

A delicate and intimate work rendered in gold pencil and watercolour on Japanese paper, this piece exemplifies Byars' fascination with luxury, fragility, and the ephemeral nature of communication. The use of precious gold against the gossamer surface of Japanese paper elevates a private correspondence into a ritualistic object, blurring the boundaries between letter, artwork, and gesture. Characteristic of Byars' practice, the work transforms an everyday act of communication into something mystical and ceremonial.

Medium
gold pencil and watercolour on Japanese paper

🔨 Auction Lot

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale

June 26, 2018

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About this work

James Lee Byars, Penis Letter to Jon Thompson, 1985

A delicate and intimate work rendered in gold pencil and watercolour on Japanese paper, this piece exemplifies Byars' fascination with luxury, fragility, and the ephemeral nature of communication. The use of precious gold against the gossamer surface of Japanese paper elevates a private correspondence into a ritualistic object, blurring the boundaries between letter, artwork, and gesture. Characteristic of Byars' practice, the work transforms an everyday act of communication into something mystical and ceremonial.

Medium
gold pencil and watercolour on Japanese paper
Year
1985
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

20th Century, Gold And Warm Tones, Performance Art Adjacent, Male Artist, Intimate Format, Conceptual Art, Japanese Paper, Figurative Drawing, American Artist, Mixed Media on Paper, Avant-Garde Artist, Playful And Provocative

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