Damien Hirst has sat for a rare portrait, by an emerging artist, in London. The ‘shark’ artist agreed to pose for a painting by the British artist Jonathan Yeo. The preliminary sketch is on exhibition in the form of a hand painted ink-jet print, at his latest show titled ‘Some People’ at the Eleven Fine Art Gallery in Belgravia. Hirst joins other celebrities including actors Nicole Kidman,Dennis Hopper, model Erin O’Connor,and artist Grayson Perry.
Yeo stated in an interview in the Evening Standard that having Hirst as a subject was a tricky proposition. “You become much more aware of what you are doing when you are painting in front of another artist,” he said.
Eleven in association with Paragon Press is presenting Jonathan Yeo’s first portfolio of prints. Featuring some of his most iconic subjects, Yeo has created a dynamic collection of portraiture. The portfolio will feature new unseen images alongside reworked versions of his most renowned personalities. Utilising a variety of media and printing techniques his works are as visually varied as his sitters.
‘Some People’ is a return to Yeo’s figurative roots and is the first serious body of portraits he has created in a number of years. His last few exhibitions have explored the possibilities of paint and collage to examine contemporary perceptions of beauty, pornography and plastic surgery. In revisiting some of his most intriguing sitters, he realises this portfolio through his expressive marks and acute realism. Often his sitters emerge from an anonymous background unencumbered by accoutrements associated with traditional portraiture allowing their personalities and alluring characteristics to freely emerge.
Yeo employs a range of media to create a diverse portfolio of portraiture. He captures his sitters through photographs, etchings and hand finished inkjet prints, each revealing part of his artistic process as their features materialise in each print. Original paintings and sketches will also be exhibited alongside his print portfolio, showcasing Yeo’s range of techniques and masterful aptitude for portraiture.
Yeo was born in 1970 and lives in London. He is a respected portrait artist. Renowned for his distinctive portraits, his sitters have included many celebrities, politicians and dignitaries. His work has been widely exhibited in the UK, USA and Europe. His work is featured in prestigious collections including the Royal Collection, the National Portrait Gallery and the House of Commons Art Collection. In 2013 Yeo will have a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Jonathan Yeo ‘Some People’ 16th November to 8th December 2012
Eleven: 11 Eccleston Street, London, SW1W 9LX – +44 (0)20 7823 5540