In a Phillips
press release issued in advance of the auction, the
painting was promoted as one of the «leading highlights» of the
sale and described thus: «The surface is a huge and ravaged landscape, tired, attacked, bleached and scoured, but fluorescent hints of sub-tectonic vibrancy shine through: erasure results in new opportunities.»
Pressed by a journalist, she added, «I'm afraid it was the consignor's decision to take the
painting out of the
sale and we have to respect it.»