{"product_id":"nude","title":"Nude","description":"\u003cp\u003e*APC ART is pleased to present RETNA’s “Nude,” an original watercolor on wove paper measuring 76.8 × 57.1 cm (30.2 × 22.5 inches), executed in 2023 at the artist’s Santa Fe Avenue studio and signed and titled en verso in black marker. The work bears the signature “Klutches,” a historically significant pseudonym used by RETNA during key periods of his career — an inclusion that firmly anchors the piece within the artist’s authentic studio practice and lineage.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e**A simple Google search for “RETNA Klutches” will produce multiple results of various works signed by MSK RETNA with this pseudonym.**\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*RETNA (Marquis Lewis) stands as one of the most important and recognizable figures in global contemporary art. Emerging from the streets of Los Angeles and now operating at the highest institutional and blue-chip levels of the market, he has developed a singular visual language that merges calligraphy, ancient scripts, graffiti, and illuminated manuscript traditions into a completely original and instantly identifiable form. His work bridges cultures and histories — drawing from Egyptian hieroglyphics, Arabic, Hebrew, Gothic blackletter, and Asian calligraphy — yet remains unmistakably rooted in the energy and authority of the urban environment.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Over the past two decades RETNA has moved from the street to the walls of major museums, international galleries, and the most important private collections in the world. His monumental murals define the façades of global cities, while his studio works are collected by leading figures across music, film, fashion, and finance. Collaborations with brands such as Louis Vuitton and Nike, as well as his presence in museum exhibitions and prestigious gallery programs, have cemented his position as one of the most culturally influential artists of his generation.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*“Nude” is a powerful and highly atypical work within the RETNA canon. Rather than the rigid architectural structure of his glyph-based compositions, this piece reveals a rare and intimate exploration of the human figure. Executed in luminous, layered watercolor, the composition dissolves the boundary between abstraction and representation: a spectral body emerges through veils of saturated blue pigment, its form simultaneously constructed and erased by sweeping gestures, liquid pooling, and explosive centrifugal marks.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*The circular motion at the center of the composition recalls both the physical act of painting and the meditative discipline that underlies the artist’s calligraphic practice. Here, however, the language becomes corporeal — the figure appearing as if formed from water, light, and movement. Drips, splatters, and radial strokes record the immediacy of the artist’s hand, transforming the sheet into a field of pure energy. The result is a work that feels simultaneously monumental and deeply personal.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*The use of watercolor is particularly significant. Long associated with spontaneity and vulnerability, the medium allows a directness rarely encountered in RETNA’s more formal studio paintings. This work offers a privileged view into the artist’s process — a moment where the discipline of his symbolic language gives way to gesture, atmosphere, and the human presence.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Its execution at the legendary Santa Fe Avenue studio further reinforces its importance. That space has been the birthplace of some of RETNA’s most celebrated bodies of work, and pieces originating there are closely associated with the most pivotal period of his mature career. Its residence since creation in a prominent Calabasas collection adds an additional layer of provenance and desirability.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Works on paper of this scale and painterly intensity — particularly unique examples that depart from the standard glyph format — are exceptionally scarce and increasingly sought after by serious collectors who recognize their art historical significance and their position within the broader trajectory of the artist’s practice.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*The sheet’s expansive scale, the saturation of the blues, and the explosive kinetic surface give the work the presence of a major painting while retaining the immediacy and intimacy that only a work on paper can deliver.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*The work is in hand in the United States and will ship immediately. APC ART is pleased to advise on museum-quality archival framing to preserve and elevate this exceptional and highly personal RETNA.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*A rare, museum-caliber and historically resonant original — representing a critical and deeply human dimension of RETNA’s oeuvre and a cornerstone acquisition for the most advanced contemporary collections.*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY BY APC ART* \u003cbr\u003e*MIA • ATL • NYC • LA • LONDON • PARIS • TOKYO* \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrivate collection; Los Angeles, California. USA. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncluded with the work is a COA from APC ART, guaranteeing authenticity in perpetuity. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe work shows well, as executed by RETNA at his Santa Fe Ave Studio, 2023. Any condition issues are inherent to artistic process. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"RETNA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48753381998746,"sku":null,"price":14500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/8917\/2122\/files\/larger_330f57e1-d233-4674-8aa3-ada855583649.jpg?v=1784216656","url":"https:\/\/apc-art.com\/products\/nude","provider":"APC Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}