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THBLarry Poons (b. 1937): Playing Hammers
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About Auction
LiveMar 22, 2026
Join Abell Auction Company for Day 2 of our Fine Art and Important Estates Auction on Sunday, March 22, beginning at 9 a.m. PST. This session highlights an exceptional offering of Important Jewelry alongside an incredible collection of Modern and Contemporary Art from distinguished private estates. Public preview begins March 9 at our gallery, 6620 Telegraph Road, Los Angeles, California. Abell Auction Company todd@abell.com
View Full Catalog (299)
- Lot Description
2006, acrylic on canvas, signed, dated and titled verso, 66 1/2 x 100 in., frame: 69 x 102 in.
- Provenance
Property from an important estate, Los Angeles, CA; Danese Gallery New York,
Note: A commanding and visually arresting canvas, Playing Hammers (2006) stands as one of the most striking works by Larry Poons to come to market in recent years. Born in Tokyo and raised in the United States, Poons emerged as a pivotal figure in postwar American art, first gaining international recognition in the 1960s. His inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art’s landmark 1965 exhibition The Responsive Eye positioned him at the forefront of contemporary abstraction, and his career since has been defined by bold reinvention and unwavering commitment to the possibilities of paint.
Across decades of sustained innovation, Poons has continually expanded the language of abstraction, moving fluidly between optical structure, lyrical gesture, and richly worked surfaces. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and other major institutions worldwide—an enduring testament to his importance within the canon of postwar painting. Revered by critics and collectors alike, Poons has maintained a singular position: an artist who consistently challenges convention while remaining deeply rooted in the physical act of painting.
Playing Hammers exemplifies the power and ambition that have defined Poons’ most celebrated works. Monumental in scale and immersive in presence, the painting commands attention through its complexity, movement, and painterly intensity. The surface reveals a masterful orchestration of gesture and structure, reflecting an artist working with complete confidence and authority.
Distinguished by its scale, vitality, and historical resonance, Playing Hammers represents a rare opportunity to acquire a museum-caliber painting by one of the most significant living abstractionists.
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