Rago/Wright Auction House hosts a unique auction featuring works from Marberger’s esteemed collection, offered for the first time since Marberger’s passing in 1988, including portraits by Alex Katz and Elaine de Kooning.
Rago/Wright proudly announces the auction “Living Out Loud: The A. Aladar Marberger Collection,” slated to go on sale on March 13, 2024. The collection celebrates the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Aladar Marberger, a central figure in New York's 1970s and 1980s art scene. For the first time since Marberger's passing in 1988, the public can access his personal collection, which includes significant works by Alex Katz, Elaine de Kooning, Françoise Gilot, and many more. Spanning mid century abstraction to contemporary realism, this important collection represents the artists whom Marberger counted as friends and personally championed during his impactful career.
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Aladar #3 by Elaine de Kooning, 1986 (Photo: Business Wire)
Aladar Marberger is remembered for his vibrant personality and significant contributions to the New York art scene of the 1970s and 1980s. A student of Elaine de Kooning at Carnegie-Mellon University, Marberger and de Kooning developed a close bond. By 22, under de Kooning’s guidance, he entered the New York art scene and later became the first director of Fischbach Gallery, a hub for influential artists of the time, and transformed Fischbach into a leader in contemporary realism.
“Aladar’s zest for life and art was infectious,” shares Donna Marberger, Aladar’s sister. “He not only championed artists but also used his voice for meaningful causes. This collection is a reflection of his remarkable journey and enduring legacy in the art community.”
The “Living Out Loud” collection showcases pieces from artists represented by Fischbach Gallery, including Alex Katz's “Aladar on Aluminum” (est. $50,000-70,000), a portrayal of Marberger that highlights his elegant persona. Fischbach Gallery exhibited Katz’s work extensively early in the artist’s career, beginning in 1964. Further highlights include Doug Ohlson’s “Mathe (5 panels)” (est. $15,000-20,000), multiple abstract works by Raymond Parker, and George Pfahler, including “Little Three Tex” ($10,000-15,000), and an untitled 1977 mixed media collage from Joe Brainard.
Marberger's personal life was as colorful and impactful as his professional one. He was the romantic partner of renowned poet John Ashbery and later, the long-term partner of Robert Joffrey, the co-founder of the Joffrey Ballet. His life took a dramatic turn in 1985 with an AIDS diagnosis, leading him to become an outspoken advocate against the disease and its stigma. At a time when people with AIDS were shunned or worse, he courageously shared his story with the public, speaking openly about the disease to the press, including Vanity Fair and TIME, and underwent risky and painful experimental treatments, and helped to organize the first-ever Sotheby’s benefit auction raising money to combat the crisis.
Painted soon after Marberger’s AIDS diagnosis, a leading work of the collection is Elaine de Kooning’s “Aladar #3” (est. $40,000-60,000). This extraordinary portrait captures both Marberger’s intensity and the lifelong bond between the artist and gallerist, and was included in the seminal exhibition: Elaine de Kooning: Portraits in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in 2015-2016 . “Aladar #3” is one of five portraits - two charcoals, three paintings - that de Kooning made of Marberger in her East Hampton home in 1986. Showing the breadth of de Kooning and Marberger’s friendship, an earlier portrait, the 1973 “Aladar” (est. $25,000-35,000), is also featured in this sale. Collectively, the series is widely regarded as a remarkable achievement of portraiture. The other four works are currently held in private collections.
“Aladar Marberger was someone who approached both art and life with excitement, generosity, and courage,” says Meredith Hilferty, Rago Director of Fine Art. “He used his influence to fight the stigma of AIDS when it was not common for powerful people to do so, and we couldn’t be more honored to share the works that he held dear and celebrate his memory.”
The auction offers a rare opportunity to acquire pieces from a collection deeply intertwined with the history of modern art and activism. Viewings for select pieces from “Living Out Loud” will be held at High Line Nine, 507 W. 27th St., New York, until March 4, with additional exhibition dates at Rago in Lambertville, NJ, from March 6 - March 13. The auction sale will commence at 11 am EST on March 13, offering advanced, telephone, and live online bidding options.
About Rago Wright
Rago Wright is a network of leading independent auction houses specializing in 20th century art and design, bringing both buyers and sellers industry expertise, innovation, and creativity. Rago Wright auction houses include Rago, Wright, LA Modern (LAMA), and Toomey & Co. Together, the team is made up of more than 100 experts, including market specialists, researchers, designers, and handlers, overseeing more than $100M in annual sales of contemporary art and design.
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Contacts
Emilie Sims
Director of Research and Content
wright@milkandhoneypr.com
