Russell Young is a contemporary British-American artist known for his silkscreen paintings of pop culture icons and historical figures. Having worked closely with celebrities as a photographer, Young left his career to focus on art. In 2001, he began making his first silkscreen series, “Pig Portraits”; the series used mugshots of famous figures to create what Young referred to as “anti-celebrity portraits”. Working on a grand scale, Young’s depictions of celebrities explore the grit and glamor of fame and infamy in high contrast, with bright colors and diamond dust to add to the allure. Through his art Young explores the theme of consumption, whether it’s in the form of modern celebrity or westward expansion, and shines a light on the messy, traumatic, and destructive nature of desire.
Russell Young, Marilyn Portrait (Red), 2014 Marilyn Portrait Portfolio, 2014, Signed, Hand-pulled acrylic and enamel silkscreen on paper, Edition 25/25, 33 1/4" x 27 1/4" Framed Size, 27" x 21" Sheet Size
