John Copeland (American, 1976-2024) As I Once Was, You Will Soon Be

signed, titled and dated 'John Copeland/2012/AS I ONCE WAS, YOU WILL SOON/BE' (verso) acrylic and oil on canvas Unframed: 122.5 x 107.4 cm. (48 1/4 x 42 1/4 in.) Framed: 127.3 x 111.7 cm. (50 1/8 x 43 1/2 in.) Works from the Collection of Frank Cohen (Lots 79-95)Provenance: The artist, 2015, from whom purchased by the present ownerNotes: John Copeland has established himself as a formidable voice in contemporary figurative painting, celebrated for a highly visceral, texturally dense approach that continuously negotiates the boundary between raw abstraction and recognisable form. Utilising thick, aggressive layers of oil and acrylic, Copeland effectively sculpts his subjects as much as he paints them, bringing a gritty, expressionistic urgency to the canvas. His works operate as intense psychological explorations, capturing the chaotic, fleeting, and sometimes grotesque realities of the human condition. This dynamic manipulation of the medium charges his canvases with a kinetic, pulsing energy, transforming classical motifs and everyday social scenes into uncompromising studies of mortality and existence. The first lot of the four, As I Once Was, You Will Soon Be (2012), perfectly encapsulates Copeland’s masterful command of his materials and his profound thematic depth. Taking its title from a traditional memento mori epitaph, the canvas confronts the viewer with two standing figures rendered in fleshy, smeared tones of pink, white, and red. Copeland’s signature drips and heavy slashes of dark paint obscure the figures' features, stripping away individual identity to present them as universal, elemental symbols of the human form in flux. The vigorous application of paint, melting, dripping, and pooling across the canvas, mirrors the inevitable physical decay suggested by the title, creating a haunting visual metaphor for the passage of time and the inherent fragility of the human body. This intense focus on the physical and psychological weight of existence is a defining hallmark of Copeland's practice during this pivotal period. While concurrent works such as A Leadbelly Song (lot 84) and Lucifer’s Wisdom Teeth (lot 86) employ his violently energetic brushstrokes to unmask the chaotic realities of densely populated social gatherings, As I Once Was, You Will Soon Be turns that same psychological intensity inward. It stands as a powerful, contemplative anchor within Copeland's oeuvre, offering a deeply affecting, modern interpretation of a timeless existential theme. For the discerning collector, this lot presents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a painting that is both formally spectacular and intellectually profound.