Distinguished in their arts, dashing in their styles, powerful in stature, let these art pieces be an inspiration.
Hotshots
THE KING – PAUL MELLIA
Now one of the fastest selling artists in today’s contemporary art scene, Paul is renowned for his distinctive 3-D interpretations of celebrated icons. Straddling the delicate line between visual art and popular culture, his work is neither illustrative or photographic but standing between the two – verging on fantasy.
MALE MODERN DANCER – LEO MASON
Recalling the art of legendary ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, these strikingly ethereal shots capture the ballet professionals in all their motion. Compared to his other works on dance, these shots carry a harder, more edgy feel to them as strong directional lighting hits this modern dancer.
PRINCE – DANIELA FEDERICI
Another seminal photograph of an iconic musical giant, this photograph of Prince captures him in the tradition of the American Wild West. Widely regarded as the pioneer of Minneapolis sound, Prince is ranked number 27 in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was known for his provocative sense of dress, sexual lyrics and hits such as ‘Purple Rain’.
PUNK – DAVID YEO
Photographed in Greenwich Village, Manhattan in 2004, Yeo recounts “This amazing character confidently sits astride his chopper bike; tattooed, toned and ready for action. He was in total control of both bike and street scene. I was captivated by his true essence of cool. It was a portrait I had to capture.”
JAMES DEAN ON THE SET OF GIANT – FRANK WORTH
From a great friendship with James Dean, photographer Frank Worth was given inside access to movie sets, including the 1956 film Giant. This photograph shows James Dean dressed in character on the set of his last film as a lead actor.
DAD – JENS LUCKING
In this heart-warming close up of a “Dad” whether Lucking’s or an anonymous figure, Lucking masterfully captures the grace and wisdom of old-age with a certain sense of character and wry humour. Perhaps most striking about this image are the man’s startlingly blue eyes.
DAVID BOWIE PORTRAIT – HELMUT NEWTON
This a very rare crop of a well-known David Bowie photograph by Newton. Newton chose this crop for one of his 10 posters publicising his Private Property exhibitions. The crop ratio and resultant zoom-in presents a life-size picture of a larger-than-life music icon. The exquisite detail is such that one can almost count Bowie’s pores.
KING – JONNY WAN
Fascinated by all things ancient, Jonny takes the subject of the King in a pack of cars. Using an array of colour and patterns, the King stands regally, dressed in a large cloak and grasping a thick sword. The King card is the oldest and most established court card, dating back to the Mamluk playing cards that grew out of Egypt from the 13th century onwards.
LENNY KRAVITZ – DANIELA FEDERICI
This iconic photograph of rock legend Lenny Kravitz playing his guitar is inspired by the repetitions inherent in the pop art of Andy Warhol. A composite of five action shots, Federici provides an insight into dynamism and high energy of Kravitz’s live performance. Kravitz is one of the icons of 1990’s retro rock and a four-time Grammy Award-winning artist known for his prolific guitar skills and outrageous lifestyle. Seminal albums include Let Love Rule and Baptism.
OLD BLUE EYES – PAUL MELLIA
Now in his late 50s, Paul Mellia has established a reputation over the last 30 years as a super-realist artist, specialising in detailed illustrations of themes from popular culture – film stars, sports cars and motorbikes, comic book characters and superheroes.