Krüger is known for his large-scale acrylic portraits of rock stars, particularly his friends, the Rolling Stones. That’s Charlie, Keith, Mick, and Ronnie above.
The portraits are mostly larger than life-size. They command prices in the five- and low six-figures, and large giclée prints are also available. Krüger delights in the craggy topography of the aging rascals of the pop world, often exploring their wrinkled faces in photographic detail, but he generally reserves other areas of the canvas for a looser painterly flourish.
All of his portraits have a keen attention to what constitutes a likeness. He knows how far to push the exaggeration to make his point. Some of his portraits of Mick Jagger are in-your-face and over-the-top, but others are amazingly restrained and sensitive.
The painting “Keith Richards: The Devil in Focus” (200cm x 140cm) shows the old pirate just as he appears.
Krüger wants to use the term “New Pop Realism” to describe his new direction of subtler interpretation He’s interested in exploring the intersection between the image of the pop icon and the identity of real person—both the mask and the man.
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Newbury Fine Arts Gallery Phone 617.536.0210
Sebastian Krüger Publications
Sebastian Krüger News Blog
Official Krüger site site
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Thanks, Liz and Mike
7 comments:
He certainly has that knack for pushing distortion and stylization while still preserving a dead on likeness. Quite a gift.
In this picture says it all in angle.
It is true that compete with all the details of portrait.
Dumbfounded!
I too recently ran across his work.
He is not merely good (at what he does), He is a master at what he does... portrait, caricature, drawing, painting... I wonder how long it takes him to paint a large portrait.
I have loved his work for a long time - got a large sized book of his portraits - they are so intense!
speaking of great shows, here is one that i didnt hear about until a few weeks ago but is absolutly amazing!
i didnt know it by steven speilburg and george lucas have a large collection of norman rockwell paintings in there private collection that are now on display at the american art museum in dc.
just got back from it today and anyone who is in the area should definatly check it out!!!! paintings, charcoal sketches and a short film with speilburg and lucas, so good!!!!
Many moons ago I had the pleasure of doing some mural work for Mr. Spielberg’s home (it was the old Pickford estate). He had a Norman Rockwell painting in the entryway, two Thomas Hart Benton’s in the dining room, and a Monet over the fireplace!
It was really amazing to see such great works of art hung in the setting of a private home. I’ve been to the Hearst estate, the Huntington, the Getty, and the Frick, but these are all Museums and/or public spaces now. To be in a private living space with such famous and beautiful artwork was a real thrill!
He also had a rather large collection of animation cells and background paintings, which I guess is not that unusual, except that they were all autographed to him by the animators!
I don’t think I am giving anything away by sharing this with you all (but I better not mention anything about the secret passage-way) -RQ
Who says you can't do with acrylics what you can do with oils eh...
Skills are skills, regardles the medium they will show if you have 'em. Kruger rocks just as well as his subjects :)
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