Marilyn Portrait, 2014

Russel Young   Famous Artists

The works of artist Russell Young adorn the homes of President Obama, Brad Pitt, the royal family of Qatar, David Bowie... and his popularity continues to grow with British and American collectors.To create his works , he uses photographs collected from press clippings or given by the celebrities themselves, or even arrest photos collected from police services (notably for his series entitled "Pig Portraits"). Some of his works allow him to reinvent known images by giving them a new poetry, a more subjective twist. Another aspect of his work demystifies the stars by projecting them in their extreme simplicity: crooners (Frank Sinatra), rock stars (Jim Morrison, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Sid Vicious), great actors (Steve McQueen)... at the peak of their glory, under arrest like ordinary mortals.

Russell Young transforms, sublimates or destroys to give new relief, imbued with great aesthetic elegance, to these glossy paper icons. He emerged from anonymity thanks to the famous cover photo of George Michael's album "Faith" and then became one of the most fashionable and sought-after celebrity photographers. Artists such as Morisset, Bjork, Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan and REM will pass under his lens. He then turned to audiovisual production and directed and produced numerous videos for the music channel MTV.

Alongside this promising career as a photographer and videographer, he turned to painting. His work remained secret for a long time, but in 2003, his first exhibition entitled "Pig Portraits" was a huge success and the public, won over, bought in large numbers. Among his most prized works, a set of unique screen prints sprinkled with Swarovski crystal dust stands out. The uniqueness of these works lies in the different shades of colors used and the way the artist applied the crystals to the canvas. The exact process is still kept secret by his studio. Russell Young is internationally recognized today as a leading pop artist for his treatment of historical and pop culture icons.