The remarkable collection of Patricia Scipio-Brim, born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, will be on offer during Swann Auction Galleries’ upcoming winter sale. Abstract Beauty: the Collection of Patricia Scipio-Brim, which takes place February 6, spans over a century of modern, post-war and contemporary African American art. A number of important African American artists like Charles Alston, McArthur Binion, Ed Clark, Beauford Delaney, Norman Lewis, Alma Thomas and Jack Whitten will be represented in the sale. This also marks the first time the collection has come to auction at Swann.
Alma W. Thomas (1891-1978), Untitled, 1971. Acrylic and pencil on Arches paper, 15 x 23 in. Estimate: $60/90,000
“Scipio-Brim’s collection represents the enterprise of a trailblazing collector,” says Nigel Freeman, Swann’s vice president and head of fine art. “Patricia was a successful lawyer who privately cultivated a practice of collecting over decades, visiting artists’ studios, museums, galleries and auctions, collecting artists long before they reached their current vaunted place in the art world. This auction reflects both the intelligence and passion of an esteemed collector.”
Sir Frank Bowling (b. 1934), Looking for Carmen, 2006. Acrylic, acrylic gel, metallic paint and found object on collaged canvas, 28 x 42½ in. Estimate: $60/90,000
Beauford Delaney (1901-1979), Untitled (Yellow, Blue and Red), 1961. Watercolor on paper, 257/8 x 197/8 in. Estimate: $30/40,000
Among the highlights that collectors can explore in the forthcoming sale include an untitled acrylic and pencil piece by Thomas, estimated at $60,000 to $90,000. “Amongst many great examples of post-war abstraction, Alma Thomas’ Untitled work from her Atmospheric Effect series is a standout,” Freeman notes. “Each composition on Arches paper in this series depicts spectral bands of color inspired by photography published by the NASA space program. They were first exhibited in her important 1970 solo exhibition Alma Thomas: Earth and Space Paintings at the Franz Bader Gallery, Washington D.C., and are highly prized by collectors today.”
Norman Lewis (1909-1979), Untitled, 1946. Oil on Masonite, 10 x 14 in. Estimate: $30/40,000
Another painting of note is Frank Bowling’s Looking for Carmen, an abstract piece with dripping paint, rendered with acrylic, acrylic gel, metallic paint and found objects. “This richly multi-layered painting is an excellent example of Bowling’s collaged canvases from the 1990s and early 2000s. The artist’s composition balances daring paint passages and surfaces with flair, all atop his signature support of colorful collaged canvas,” says Freeman.
Bidding will be available through online platforms, absentee, phone and live in-person. The sale of Scipio-Brim’s illustrious collection will also include a printed catalog. —
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