
Untitled (Erythinga' Be Alright)
2016
A tangle of limbs and torsos emerges from the ink-washed surface of this intimate 2016 work on paper, exemplifying Christina Quarles's distinctive approach to figuration and the fragmented body. Rendered in fluid, gestural marks, the composition dissolves conventional bodily boundaries, presenting forms that fold into and through one another with an almost choreographic tension. The title, "Erythinga' Be Alright," carries a vernacular warmth that gently counterpoints the visual complexity of the image, suggesting reassurance within disorientation, and grounding the work's abstracted physicality in something deeply felt and human. Quarles, now among the most closely watched painters of her generation, was already developing her signature visual language in this earlier work, which predates her international gallery representation and critical recognition. Works on paper from this period offer collectors a rare window into the foundational thinking behind a practice that has since commanded significant attention at major institutions and auction houses worldwide. The smaller scale here only amplifies the intimacy of the encounter, drawing the viewer into close proximity with marks that feel both deliberate and instinctive. Signed by the artist and presented on paper measuring 33 by 48.3 centimeters, this piece carries additional significance as a work offered through the Bronx Museum of the Arts Benefit Auction, connecting its acquisition to meaningful institutional support for contemporary art in New York. For collectors seeking a substantive early work by Quarles at a scale suited to thoughtful, considered display, this offering represents a genuinely compelling opportunity.
- Medium
- Ink on paper
- Overall
- Signed
- Yes
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