MANCHESTER BASED ARTIST LINCOLN TOWNLEY “SELLS OUT” RETROSPECTIVE AT SAATCHI GALLERY

 

BRIT artist Lincoln Townley celebrated his Retrospective exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery with a SELL OUT show.

Over two hundred and fifty guests including Sir Michael Caine, global celebrities Peter Hook, Marc Almond and others, worldwide art collectors and dealers joined him for the private show at the prestigious modern art gallery.

Lincoln exhibited twenty four of his workers at the Saatchi, the London gallery for contemporary art, opened by Charles Saatchi in 1985 in order to exhibit his collection to the public. It has occupied different premises, first in North London, then the South Bank by the River Thames, and finally in Chelsea, its current location.

Lincoln showed works, worth over £5million, including his ICON painting of Sir Michael Caine as well as his Utopia Collection entitled My Fear, His Loathing, The Bankers, I’m Sure She Gave Me The Eye, Devils Playground and 93 nos, named after his forthcoming documentary. Which sold out completely within the three hour private view.

Lincoln said: “I always believed that if I worked hard enough my work would be exhibited in major galleries and the more doors that were shut in my face, the more determined I became. I never stop working, I just keep going and that relentless energy goes into my paintings.

“A documentary about my career as an artist is coming out next year. It’s called 93 Nos because that’s how many rejections I faced before I broke through. It’s hard for any artist to succeed, especially a self-taught artist like me, but if you’ve got grit, guts and you never take ‘no’ for an answer, anything is possible.”

One guest, David Sullivan, Businessman and West Ham United FC joint chairman, said: “I have been collecting Lincoln’s work for the last five years and I’ve seen over 800 per cent increase on my investment, in my opinion he’s top of his game, who else can touch him?”

Earlier this month it was announced Lincoln had been commissioned by BAFTA to create a collection of portraits in celebration of this year’s honourees.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) has commissioned the paintings of Jodie Foster, Ricky Gervais, Samuel L. Jackson, Felicity Jones, Ang Lee, and Ewan McGregor.

Lincoln Townley, who earlier this year sold a painting of boxing legend Muhammed Ali for £510,000, has generously donated these works of art. Funds raised will go towards BAFTA Los Angeles’ ongoing educational and community outreach programming.

Brit artist Lincoln has achieved global success with the creation of the ICONS – a collection of paintings of the most famous and influential people in the world.

The London born artist, married to actress Denise Welch, launched the Music ICONS this september which took over a year to curate and was inspired by the tragic deaths of music legends David Bowie and Prince. Lincoln was also commissioned to paint the ‘Supermodels’ to celebrate this year’s LA Fashion week.

The portraits of stars Lincoln has painted include Sir Michael Caine, Al Pacino, Gary Oldman, Dame Judi Dench, John Cleese, Kate Moss, Charlie Sheen, Russell Brand, Leonardo Di Caprio, Marlon Brando and many others . Lincoln is also recognised for his other paintings which explore the darker side of the human personality exhibited at the Maddox Gallery in Mayfair, London.

Recently Lincoln painted Sir Michael Caine and his wife Shakira, after presenting him the painting the legendary actor said: “There’s no doubt in my opinion that Lincoln is the next Andy Warhol.”

The 2016 AMD British Academy Britannia Awards presented by Jaguar Land Rover and American Airlines will take place on Friday, October 28, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. This is the second year Lincoln has agreed to paint the BAFTA honourees, last year he painted Orlando Bloom, James Corden, Harrison Ford, Sam Mendes, Amy Schumer and Meryl Streep.

Ang Lee will be honoured with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing, Samuel L. Jackson will be honoured with the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment, Ricky Gervais will be honoured with the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy, Ewan McGregor will be honoured with the Britannia Humanitarian Award, Felicity Jones will be honoured with the British Artist of the Year presented by Burberry, and Jodie Foster will be honoured with the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film.  World-renowned television and event production company Done + Dusted will produce the ceremony.

The British Academy Britannia Awards is BAFTA’s big night out in Hollywood, where Brits and anglophiles alike come together in celebration of exceptional individuals who have dedicated their careers to advancing the art forms of the moving image in the US, UK and beyond. Known to be an enjoyable evening that captures a unique blend of sincerity and British irreverence, the evening also serves to celebrate the long-standing collaboration between the British and American industries.

The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolades, recognising both outstanding British talent, and exceptional international talent by virtue of their strong connection to the British industry through their body of work. Proceeds from the event support BAFTA Los Angeles’ on-going education, scholarship, community outreach and archival projects.

Last year BAFTA LA’s official artist-in-residence, Lincoln Townley was commissioned to paint their 2015 Honourees including Meryl Streep and Harrison Ford and these portraits form part of the ICONS collection.

Earlier this year Lincoln exhibited in Los Angeles where he headlined the hugely successful ‘Brit Week’ and unveiled his quadriptych portrait of HM the Queen, a person the artist regards as the ultimate icon. He has just returned from Houston, Texas where he exhibited his works at La Colombe d’Or.

James Nicholls, Managing Director and Curator of the Maddox Gallery, Mayfair, London, said: “In each generation it is a rare occurrence when an artist has the potential to become iconic, and it is our considered opinion that Lincoln Townley is such an extraordinary artist.

“The British artist was relatively unknown four years ago, now he has become famous for creating the most vivid insight into producing electrifying portraits of Hollywood stars such as; Al Pacino, Dame Judi Dench, Gary Oldman, Sir John Hurt, Robert Downey Jr. Judi Dench, Russell Brand and Charlie Sheen.

“Sir Michael Caine recently described him as the new Andy Warhol, and others see a Francis Bacon-like quality in his work. The value of his work has risen 200 per cent in the last two years alone.”