Following in the footsteps of the banana that sold for $6.2 million, a seemingly blank white canvas will be up for auction in Germany, with a starting bid of $1.5 million.
Although the artwork appears empty, the all-white canvas with a slightly darker white frame was painted using industrial-grade white paint typically used on metal surfaces. The unique materials applied to the cotton canvas have rendered the painting so delicate that it cannot travel for exhibition before the sale.
“The material is extremely sensitive, and even the slightest marks on its flawless surface would significantly reduce its value,” the auction house Ketterer Kunst stated, describing the painting as being in “very good condition.”
Ryman, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 88, was renowned for his experimental work, which was predominantly devoid of color and strictly white. Without formal artistic training, Ryman initially pursued jazz piano and took up painting as a hobby while working as a guard at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
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