RUSSELL YOUNG: FAME/SHAME
SEPTEMBER 8 -28, 2015
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   Above: Elizabeth Taylor, Silkscreen Diamond Dust, 36" x 28" | Frank Sinatra Mug Shot, Silksreen on canvas, 63½" x 48½" | Marilyn Monroe Goddess, Silkscreen Diamond Dust, 33½" x 26" |
BERTRAND DELACROIX GALLERY is thrilled to announce FAME/SHAME, a one-time special collaboration between the gallery and famed British artist RUSSELL YOUNG. The artist is internationally renowned for his colorful enamel screen-print paintings of celebrities, often coated in shimmering diamond dust. In Anna Wilding’s documentary on the artist, he states, “my art is best described as fame and shame”; this is exemplified in this exhibition’s mix of glamorous celebrity photos and mug shots.
Young’s signature technique combines painting and photography to produce a unique effect. He sources the photographs from newspaper cuttings, auctions, celebrities themselves and even police departments. Afterwards, he is intimately involved in every step of the screen-printing process. In fact, he is known for his sensational silk-screen performances, where he often signs his work with his own blood. In 2007, he started to incorporate diamond dust into his work, a process, which not only distinguishes his work but also makes each piece unique as the crystals are individually applied. The final results are bold and provocative representations of American media. The iconic pop portraits capture the glamour, pain and anguish that come with being in the public eye. They do not seek to simply idealize the famous but to question the culture of fame and its effect on both those who attain it and those who worship it.
Born in York, England in 1959, Young studied photography, film and graphic design at the Chester Art College and then attended Exeter Art College. Afterwards, he moved to London and gained recognition photographing R.E.M., the Smiths, Morrissey, Bjork, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross and Paul Newman during the late 1970’s. Afterwards, the artist transitioned into the music industry, where he directed over 100 major music videos for MTV during the 1990s. In September 2000, while living in New York City, Young started to focus on his passion for art and painting. It was at this time that he first collaborated with BDG founder Bertrand Delacroix and master printer Luther Davis, of Axelle Editions in Brooklyn, New York – a sister company to BDG. He began to create the enamel screen-print paintings on linen of celebrities. Davis is now one of only a handful of printers that Young works with on his art and the artist remained close friends with Bertrand Delacroix until Delacroix's passing in 2015. This exclusive 3-week collaboration celebrates this long-standing partnership.
Young has established himself as one of the most collected artists of our time; his work has been shown in London, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Singapore, New York, Detroit, Miami and Los Angeles and is in the private collections of President Barack Obama, David Bowie, David Hockney, Marc Jacobs as well as in the Saatchi Gallery in London, the Polk Museum in Florida and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. His works have sold at auction in the US and UK through Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips de Pury. The artist currently resides in California. He will attend the opening reception on September 17.
Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
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