DAVID BOWIE (British, 1947-2016)

Heroes (self-portrait) 1978

Signed and dated lower right in red ink lower right.

3 Magazine Sheets.

An offset lithograph self-portrait of David Bowie hand signed by Bowie. This piece here is one of only three artist's proofs made in the world, and this one was signed on the bottom right in a lightly red pen, which you can see in its UV light, of which we are showing the photo. A couple of years ago they sold the original hand drawing, which today is valued at half a million dollars. The original drawing was made by David Bowie in 1978 while he was in voluntary exile in Berlin to confront his cocaine addiction and drug-induced psychosis. The charcoal illustration was based on a photograph by Masayoshi Sukita that was used for the cover of Bowie's acclaimed 1977 album Heroes, the second album in his groundbreaking Berlin Trilogy. Sukita's photo, in turn, was influenced by Roquairol, a World War I artwork by German Expressionist Erich Heckel that was also the inspiration for the cover of Iggy Pop's 1977 debut solo album, The Idiot, which Bowie co-wrote and produced.

Bowie was deeply fascinated with the Expressionist movement and had no doubt become familiar with Heckel's work while visiting the Brücke Museum in Berlin, an institution dedicated to the group Die Brücke, of which Heckel was a founding member. Bowie lived in Berlin for approximately three years. His time there helped spark an artistic and spiritual rejuvenation and gave rise to what many consider the most profound works of his career.

This extraordinary self-portrait is one of Bowie's most recognized visual creations. It was reproduced by RCA Records as a limited edition lithograph to promote Bowie's 1978 US tour. Bowie signed 120 of the copies which were then given to contest winners in record stores across the United States. The image was also used on the cover of the Heroes album press kit and on the cover of the world tour programme, Isolar II.

The artwork was also used on products such as t-shirts, concert posters, and various tickets and badges. In the 1990s, Bowie's then record label Ryko created another set of prints, unsigned and smaller in size than the original set. An example of this second series was recently shown in the traveling exhibition featuring Bowie's life and work, David Bowie Is.

This item will ship exactly as photographed in Excellent Condition. It also comes with:  
FREE $100,000.00 Certified Insurance Appraisal, &
Certificate of Authenticity!

  
This piece can be viewed at our Brand New gallery APR57 at 200 W 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. We ship anywhere around the world! This item is also available for local pickup at our gallery.

  
Appraisal Value: $100,000.00
Our Price: $24,900.00