Orgiastic Paintings of the British Artist Cecily Brown

19 september 2024

Building Blocks of Cecily Brown

In 1969, the painter Cecily Brown was born in the lively city of London. Brown’s fortunate upbringing contributed to her becoming one of the most successful artists. Her mother, Shena Mackay, is a Scottish novelist. David Sylvester, Brown’s father, had a career as a British curator, art critic, and trustee at the Tate Gallery, but he was not involved in raising her. Cecilys stepfather was Robin Brown. Sylvester, who had a Russian-Jewish heritage, played a crucial role in promoting artists such as Richard Hamilton, Lucian Freud, Joan Miró, and Francis Bacon. He also educated and supported the emerging artists of British Pop art in the 1950s, known as the “Young Turks.

Fig 1. Seven brides for seven brothers © Cecily Brown

Fig 2. Maggi Hambling August night 1990

It was during her teenage years that Cecily forged a deep and enduring bond with Francis Bacon, because of the introduction facilitated by Sylvester. While Brown was a student, Maggi Hambling, a painter and sculptor, mentored Brown. The best representation of the Hambling painting style, that relates to Brown, is her painting August Night 1990 and Wall of Water paintings. These examples illustrate a vivid stream of primal forces, captured on canvas. Brown studied at Slade School of Fine Art. After receiving guidance from her mentor, she participated in an exchange program at the New York Studio School. This experience led to a lifelong relationship with New York City. In 1993, she earned a BFA in painting.

Fig 3. © Cecily Brown. Sweetie 2000 watercolor gouache. Photo credit Genevieve Hanson

Fig 4. © Cecily Brown 1997

Fig 5. © Cecily Brown. 2005

Outside the Loop of The Young British Artists

Around the late 80s and early 90s, a group of artists known as The Young British Artists (YBA) led theLondon art scene. Michael Corris, an artist and writer for Artforum in the 1990s, created the term. The YBA placed a strong emphasis on media such as film and found objects. With the support of Iraqi British businessman Charles Saatch, the group thrived. Damien Hirst was one of the notable artists in the group. Brown moved to New York City to distance herself from the exclusive artist’s club and conceptual scene of the YBA. She wanted to pursue her own independent path as an artist.

In the extended Premium edition you can check out more on the concepts and process within Cecily Brown’s work, the pareidolia effect in her art, where she finds inspiration, and more intriguing examples of her paintings.

Click HERE and check out the post-apocalyptic erotic world of the renowned Australian illustrator Ashley Wood

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