Rob Pruitt Panda Collection #3

Rob Pruitt
b. 1964
Panda Collection #3

Executed in 2021.
acrylic, enamel, and glitter on linen in hand painted artist’s frame
44 ¾ by 34 ¼ in. (113.7 by 86.45 cm.)

Please note that while this auction is hosted on Sothebys.com, it is being administered by the Aspen Art Museum, and all post-sale matters (inclusive of invoicing and property pickup/shipment) will be handled by the Aspen Art Museum. As such, Sotheby’s will share the contact details for the winning bidders with the Aspen Art Museum so that they may be in touch directly post-sale.

Condition Report:
Please contact bid@aspenartmuseum.org for condition report.

Catalogue Note:
Rob Pruitt’s work is characterized by an incisive wit and playful aesthetic. His output ranges from glittering canvases of panda bears, to conceptual projects like an eBay Flea Market benefiting various charities, a Hollywood-style awards ceremony reimagined for the artworld, and an ongoing daily Instagram practice, posting a calendar of personal and public events. Pruitt is widely recognized for his inventive use of diverse media, and his ebullient critique of art world structures. In the latest evolution of his glitter Panda paintings, Pruitt approaches his familiar subject by way of his collection of figurines, toys, and stuffed animals, most of which were given to him as gifts over the years. Arranged like frenetically crammed group photographs – think family reunion, a school class, a cast of actors, a sports team – the figures blend into one another as they huddle together, expressing a longing for closeness and togetherness.

Rob Pruitt (b.1964, Washington D.C) has shown internationally since the early 1990s, with exhibitions at Rebuild Foundation, Chicago (2019); Kunsthalle Zurich, Zurich (2017); the Brant Foundation in Greenwich (2015); Aspen Art Museum (2013); Dallas Contemporary (2011); Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit (2015); Freiburg Kunstverein (2012).

Provenance:
Kindly donated by the artist and 303 Gallery