Numbers
2016
This work presents a radial burst of gestural marks emanating from a central point, creating a dynamic sense of movement and energy across the transparent glass surface. The monochromatic gray tones build in intensity toward the center, gradually dispersing outward in fine, linear strokes that suggest both explosion and dispersion. Mounted within a clear acrylic frame with aluminum fixtures, the piece exists in a liminal space between drawing and sculptural object, inviting viewers to engage with it from multiple angles. The repetitive, rhythmic quality of the marks evokes themes of accumulation, chaos, and order simultaneously.
- Medium
- oil-based ink on glass and aluminum
- Overall
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Sotheby's
Notes
Contemporary Day Auction, Sotheby's, sale on 2026-05-15.
🔨 Auction Lot
Contemporary Day Auction
May 15, 2026
Estimate: $60,000 – $80,000
For Sale
Artists in conversation
Cy Twombly
American · b. 1928
Twombly's gestural mark making in monochromatic or restrained palettes shares the same obsessive repetitive linear strokes and explosive radial energy seen in Khan's Numbers, where accumulation of marks creates dense conceptual and visual intensity.
Julie Mehretu
Ethiopian American · b. 1970
Mehretu builds large scale works from radial bursts of layered gestural lines that explode outward from central focal points, directly mirroring Khan's monochromatic radial composition and the dynamic tension between dense centers and dispersing outer strokes.
Barthélémy Toguo
Cameroonian · b. 1967
Toguo works with ink based mark making that builds rhythmic repetitive gestures into monochromatic compositions with conceptual weight, sharing Khan's approach of using dense accumulated strokes on transparent or light receiving surfaces to generate kinetic visual energy.
Start the Discussion
Request access to join the discussion