Lou Stovall’s Sam Gilliam

Sam Gilliam, Untitled, 1979, acrylic and metallic paint on polypropylene fabric, swagging dimensions vary, being sold at Swann on 19 Oct 2023 for an est. $150-250,000

A gorgeous 1970s swag given by Sam Gilliam to one of his longtime friends and print collaborators, that fits perfectly in a modest domestic setting? Sign me tf up.

Artist/printmaster Lou Stovall and Sam Gilliam were tight for decades until they weren’t. With Stovall’s passing earlier this year, maybe they’re reconciling in the beyond. Meanwhile, in the here and now, Stovall’s estate is selling this intensely saturated drape painting, which Gilliam gave to Stovall in 2006. RIP to those resting, and happy bidding and swagging to everyone else.

19 Oct 2023 | Lot 111: Sam Gilliam, Untitled, 1979, est. $150-250,000 [update: sold for $197,000, nice, reasonable, not out of control] [swanngalleries]
Previously, related: Color in the Landscape: my Sam Gilliam article for Art in America