FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2020
Russell Young follows up his exclusive series ICONS takeover at Harrods with major exhibition FAME at Halcyon Gallery
After headlining the windows and new gallery space at Harrods with ICONS, artist Russell Young exhibits his follow-up series FAME at the Halcyon Gallery in London
London – Along the length of Brompton Road, where the renowned department store Harrods has stood since 1849, the windows are lined with the diamond-dusted glam of artist Russell Young’s exclusive series ICONS. This is the first time Harrods has ever exhibited the work of an artist not only within its new gallery space inside the store but also along the entire length of its famous storefront windows. Young’s ICONS is the perfect introduction to Art at Harrods, a new partnership between Harrods and Halcyon Gallery, where curated masterworks accompany luxury goods in a reimagining of legacy.
Famed artist Young, known for his luxurious yet visceral work, is no stranger to the nature of stardom. His photography of George Michael for the sleeve of the Grammy-winning album Faith in 1987, led him to a career capturing the early stages of what would become the sweeping orbits of some of our most important cultural figures. Young has photographed the likes of Morrissey, Björk, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, REM, The Smiths, and President Obama before he ran for his presidency.
It is only fitting that ICONS headlines Art at Harrods in celebration of what it means to be an everlasting icon. Enamored by the stories and irresistible allure of Hollywood, Young engages with the practice of myth making he has always been inspired by and had a hand in creating for others throughout the last 50 years. Encrusted in his signature diamond dust, the icons he often looked up to and who kept him alive in his youth are brought to dazzling, colorful life. From Marilyn Monroe to Kate Moss, from Elvis Presley to Muhammad Ali–these revered characters share the stage with luxuries that have become synonymous with Harrods.
In addition to greeting customers, tourists, art aficionados, and passersby in the storefront windows along the entire road, ICONS features work located within Harrods on the 3rd floor in a new 4,000 square foot gallery space. As a series dedicated to the many aspects of fame–excess and restraint, glam and grit, death and immortality–ICONS finds apt company alongside revered masters like Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso as well as other celebrated living artists like Bob Dylan, Dale Chihuly, Lorenzo Quinn, and Paul Cummins.
The series, in partnership with Harrods and Halcyon Gallery, promises to be a groundbreaking introduction to future endeavors that engage audiences with artwork and cultural institutions in extraordinary ways.
ICONS will run throughout January at Harrods, previewing Young’s next major exhibition, FAME, which will open at Halcyon’s New Bond Street Gallery in February, 2020.
About Russell Young
Russell Young is best known for his large scale silk screen paintings that have been collected by the likes of Barack Obama, Drake, Kate Moss, and many others. His first breakthrough was his photography of George Michael for the sleeve of the album Faith in 1987. Young photographed many music stars throughout the years including Morrissey, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, REM, The Smiths, Bauhaus, Diana Ross, Paul Newman, Björk, and many others. He also went on to shoot over 100 music videos for leading artists during MTV’s height in the 1990s. Young’s current practice started with his sold-out show Pig Portraits in LA in the 2000s, when he began screen printing and incorporating his famous use of diamond dust. The many series that have followed have exhibited across the world in numerous galleries alongside masterclass artists, institutions, and cultural figures. He currently lives in Southern California.
Exhibition Details
ICONS
3rd Floor, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road
London SW1X 7XL
06 Jan 2020 – 05 Feb 2020
FAME
Halcyon Gallery (New Bond Street)
Opens in March 2020
