Snyder, Kit-Yin (Lipofsky, Marvin)

Original Artwork: Wire-Mesh Sculpture Blueprint Drawing

New York, NY, USA: Kit-Yin Snyder, 1978. First Edition. Single Sheet. Signed and inscribed by Kit-Yin Snyder to Marvin Lipofsky. Kit-Yin Snyder (b. 1935) immigrated from China to the United States at age 15, and she has worked as an artist since the 1970s. Her environmental sculptures have become public art installations in New York City, including “The Seven Columns of the Temple of Wisdom” at the site of the Manhattan Detention Center complex in Chinatown. A 2023 exhibition at the Yeh Art Gallery gathered preparatory paintings, drawings, sculptures, models and ephemera related to this public artwork—including “Drawings for Throne of Solomon,” a gouache and pencil on paper blueprint. The staircase-like design on either side of the throne’s armrests resembles the piece offered here, a white gridline sketch of a cube and a multi-level riser or staircase on blue-painted paper. The wire-mesh sculptor, presumably, begins her projects with a blueprint that features precise linework and multiple perspectives in order to plan the final construction, though the blueprint is a work of art unto itself. This piece could have been an early effort at what would become her signature style. This particular sketch is inscribed to the influential American glass artist Marvin Lipofsky (1938-2016), from whose collection we obtained many art prints and exhibition posters. Snyder signed and inscribed this piece from the bottom left corner along bottom edge in white, “To Marvin from [signed] Kit Snyder summer ’78”—very early in her artistic career. Snyder’s work is typically large-scale public art installations, so the opportunity to add something of hers to a private collection is rare. The exhibition at Yeh Art Gallery, when she was in her late 80s, was the first time her preparatory work was on public display. This piece was a gift friend-to-friend, artist-to-artist, sculptor-to-sculptor. Lipofsky probably saw Snyder’s potential or perhaps a mutual admiration was expressed. A truly rare and collectible piece with distinguished provenance! Single sheet (appx. 22 1/4” x 15”): original artwork, presumed first-&-only. In relatively fine-to-very-fine condition with pinholes in each corner; mild bumping to the fine edges and corner, though the uncut paper edges are rough to begin with; & mild bleeding of the blue tint onto edges of verso which came from the original creation, not moisture damage. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #7617]

Price: $350.00