The White Room Gallery’s Wild Ride with Russell Young

If you think the world-renowned maverick Russell Young is showing his softer side with the beautiful flowers on this week’s Dan’s Papers cover, you are dead wrong. Virulent edge is synonymous with Young. He left Northern England with three big holes in the back of his head, one from a glass, one from a bottle, and one from a typewriter and he has two knife wounds in his sides.

If he had not lied about his age to attend art college at 15 years old, he would probably be dead. And what a loss to the art world that would have been, as his works have not only crossed the auction block at all of the world’s major auction houses — including Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips — they resonate with so many hearts and minds.

Many years later, he survived two near death experiences. Survival changes a person, and for an artist it is evidenced in the work. So, what is the gravitas behind the beauty? No one can address that question better than the defying-all-odds/twice-dead terminator artist himself.

“’Flowers’ delves into a captivating exploration of secrecy, hidden emotions, and the entangled complexities of human relationships. Inspired by the close-up imagery of 17th century Golden Age Dutch flower paintings, I embark on a visual journey that intertwines the symbolism of decaying beauty, delicate insects, and the enduring power of clandestine connections.

Drawing upon the tradition of Dutch floral still-life paintings, I meticulously craft each artwork in the series as hand-pulled, four-color screen prints. This technique allows me to capture the intricate details and vibrant colors of the flowers, while simultaneously infusing the compositions with a sense of contemporary intrigue and introspection.

By introducing elements such as moths, ants and the inevitable decay of beauty, I seek to discern between the ephemeral nature of desire and the enduring power of hidden connections. These motifs serve as reminders of the fragility of secrets, the transformative passage of time, and the intricate dance between attraction and vulnerability.

In essence, ‘Flowers’ is an exploration of the clandestine aspects of the human experience, 17th century flower symbolism becomes a mirror for our own concealed desires, unspoken passions.”

Young is most known for his cast of characters that embody both his glamorized and souring vision of the American dream and he’s had several solo exhibitions at The White Room Gallery over the years showcasing that iconic cast of characters from the “Pig Portraits” featuring mugshots of Bowie, Jim Morrison, Elvis and Jimi Hendrix to the diamond dusted femme fatales of Monroe, Bardot and Liz (Taylor), and the pure allure of the young Mick (Jagger). And somehow, Kate Moss joined the cast as she captured the world’s adulation reminding us that pop culture is all about what pops.

“Our journey with Russell Young has truly been a wild ride” gallery owners Andrea McCafferty and Kat O’Neill say, “as he doesn’t rest. We love artists that never stop pushing the boundaries. Working with Young has been a work in progress, which makes no sense for an incredibly established artist but totally for an artist who continually chooses to explore and challenge.”

“I do go to the counterculture of America and the elements of a dark side, which I love,” Young says.

Young’s command of the evocative voyage of life has not gone unnoticed as collectors are numerous including the late David Bowie, Drake, David Hockney and Brad Pitt, as well as The Getty Collection in Los Angeles and The White House Collection in Washington, D.C. He has the only art window display in the history of Harrods in London, the Modern Art Museum Shanghai, Multimedia Art Museum Moscow, Cornell Art Museum, Polk Museum of Art, and the Goss-Michael Foundation.

Flashback to Young getting his first record sleeve cover for the 1986 album Faith and end on the near ethereal ring which guarantees an inroad to the next journey.

“I had a skull ring made by the same people who made Keith Richards’ ring. Keith has had his for 15 years and I’ve had mine for 13. There are only nine of these rings made in the world. Johnny Depp has one of the nine. When I ran into him, I told him, ‘We can’t die until Keith dies. He’s going to go ‘down there’ and set up a VIP room for us. This ring is the entry fee.”

What’s next? Young is creating a new series of all the images he has photographed into a once-in-a-lifetime collection. Back to that virulent edge. It just keeps getting sharper.

Russell Young’s work will be on view in Hot Shots, opening Saturday, August 23 from 5–7 p.m. at The White Room Gallery in East Hampton (3 Railroad Avenue). Learn more at thewhiteroom.gallery.