2017 October Legends Closing November 11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/12/2017
These four serigraphs were produced from artwork originally created by Muhammad Ali, the boxer who transcended sport to become one of the most important icons of American culture in the 20th century. As much a performance artist as an athlete, Ali’s demonstrative pro-equality and anti-war stances made him a contentious figure in his time, but given the benefit of hindsight, Ali is rightly lauded as a true hero.
The son of a muralist, Ali’s artistic talents are on display in these pieces. While Ali’s talents might not be technically perfect, they project his larger than life personality through bold colors, strong statements, and a keen eye for detail. The first of these paintings, titled “Guiding Light”, shows a lighthouse leading a ship between two cliffs as a flock of sea birds swoop and dive overhead. This painting is a limited edition 411 of 500, and has been signed by Ali in gray pencil. This item comes with a LOA from JSA (Z58681).
The second piece is “Under The Sun”, which shows a gray fighter jet screaming through the air beneath a blood-red sun. Ali signed this piece in gray pencil. It is a limited edition 425 of 500, and comes with a LOA from JSA (Z58673). The third painting, “Mosque II”, shows a crowd of nine worshippers gathering in front of a brilliant white mosque on the shores of a nameless azure sea. Brown hills rise behind the domed mosque, creating a feeling of closeness and spirituality. Ali signed this painting in gray pencil. It is a limited edition 366 of 500, and comes with a LOA from JSA (Z58671).
The final painting is the only one related to boxing, and it is titled “Sting Like a Bee”. It shows a boxer, presumed to be Ali, raising his hands in triumphant victory after knocking out his opponent in a ring surrounded by a sea of disembodied heads. A speech bubble emerges from the dazed challenger, saying “Red, he did float like a butterfly and sting like a bee!” The referee is fleeing, and yelling “Yes, if you were smart you run like me!” Ali signed the bottom of this serigraph in gray pencil. It is a limited edition 366 of 500, and comes with a LOA from JSA (Z58680). All of these serigraphs measure roughly 26 x 20 inches, and are displayed in 34 x 29 ½ inch frames.