Saturday October 22nd, an exceptional set of works by Yona Friedman, coming from the artist’s studio, will feature in the Contemporary Art auction organized by Cornette de Saint Cyr, at 8pm at Drouot-Montaigne.

This series, gathering 14 models and 21 archive boxes, is typical of the architectural work carried out by Yona Friedman since 1959.

It includes objects created for the project Bridges of Shanghai, estimated € 6,000 – 60,000.

Cornette de Saint Cyr has entrusted this auction’s press relations to Communic’Art.

An exceptional set of models and archives in the Contemporary Art auction held on October 22nd

On October 22nd, Cornette de Saint Cyr will put up for auction 14 models and set of models typical of the architectural work carried out by Yona Friedman since 1959, including major objects created for the project Bridges of Shanghai, estimated € 6,000 – 60,000.

21 archive boxes ranging from 1990 to 2005, containing the architect’s notes, texts, drawings, collages, and photographs, will also feature in the auction catalogue. Archives prior to 1990 are part of the Getty Research Institute (estimation upon request).

The October 22nd auction is organized by Stéphane Corréard, Head of Contemporary Art at Cornette de Saint Cyr, and will be auctioned by Arnaud Cornette de Saint Cyr.

Yona Friedman, architect of the ‘Spatial City’

A French architect from Hungarian background, Yona Friedman was born in 1923 in Budapest.  He was among the first to study the social dynamics of architecture, and set out the theory of Mobile Architecture, a  kind of mobility in which inhabitants are given a new freedom to model infrastuctures. Later on, he materialized this theory through the ‘Spatial City’ project.

Countless contemporary architectural projects still draw inspiration from his drawings, models and visionary patterns, showing the significant insights he brought by studying space and the city.

His close relationships with prominent artistic figures such as Pierre Restany, Jean Dubuffet or Gottfried Honegger, as well as his recent participation to several international artistic events (Lyon Biennial, Venice Biennial, Cassel Documenta…) make him a unique personality, at the croassroad of art and architecture.

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Catalogue available 10 days prior to the auction – Exhibition at Drouot-Montaigne from Wednesday October 19th to Friday, October 21st, 11am to 7pm, and on Saturday October 22nd, 11am to 3pm.

Public auction on Saturday October 22nd - 15 avenue Montaigne – 75008 Paris, France

Cornette de Saint Cyr
 – 46 avenue Kléber – 75116 Paris
+33 (0)1 47 27 11 24 - www.cornette.auction.fr

Images: Yona Friedman at home, 2009. Left: Yona Friedman, Models (detail). Photo Fabrice Gousset.