Untitled (from the Paris/Barcelona notebook or similar series)
Mixed media collage on paper • Juan Uslé
Style & Movement
Contemporary Art / Neo-Expressionism with elements of Povera and Graffiti influence
Medium & Technique
Mixed media including oil stick, crayon, ink, and graphite on found vintage ephemera (Spanish account ledgers and receipts) collaged onto a primary paper support.
Creation Period
Circa 2014-2016
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 70 x 50 cm; Portrait orientation
Subject Description
A complex grid-like composition of various human figures, insects (beetles/spiders), and abstract faces. The iconography plays with themes of memory and labor through the use of old Spanish commercial documents dated between 1469 and 1929, contrasted with expressive, gestural drawings indicative of the artist's 'Soñé que revelabas' energy.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent / Very Good
Estimated Market Value
$15,000 - $25,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$10,000 - $18,000 USD
Provenance History
Likely sourced from a contemporary gallery such as Frith Street Gallery (London) or Galerie Lelong. A signature and date '2016' is visible on the bottom right ledger.
Art Historical Significance
This work represents Uslé's engagement with the 'palimpsest'—layering contemporary mark-making over historical debris. It showcases his ability to move between structural abstraction and figurative, diary-like observations common in his smaller-scale works on paper.
Notable Features
Distinctive use of vintage Barcelona commercial documents as a substrate; signature bottom right corner dated '2016'; juxtapositions of primitive mark-making against formal 19th-century calligraphy.
Condition Issues
Natural yellowing and foxing inherent to the vintage found papers; minor undulation of the primary support due to adhesive used for collage; some light-induced fading of certain pigment colors if not UV protected.
Conservation Recommendations
Must be mounted using archival hinges and framed under UV-filtering museum glass. Maintain stable temperature and humidity (50% RH) to prevent the vintage ledgers from becoming brittle or peeling.