“…Fire is a very interesting element. It’s intangible, but it’s destructive. It purifies. It has some kind of mythical dimension. So the idea to use an uncontrollable element like fire, it’s almost like Pollock using dripping. It’s this kind of entering into chaos, and challenging chaos, to see if chaos can be controlled.” —Franceso Bonami
Watching the great curator Francesco Bonami hold forth on Alberto Burri’s Grande legno e rosso (1957–59) is really something to behold. In Phillips’ upcoming 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale on November 15, 2018, this important work by Burri will come under the hammer at an estimate of $10–15 million, potentially breaking Burri’s auction record. In this video from Phillips, Bonami discusses the history of the painting and its importance in Burri’s oeuvre.