10-20-2003 – Blabbermouth – Paintings Inspired By Freddie
Between November 23 and December 5, the POSK Gallery in London will host an original collection of oil paintings, “Freddie Mercury – Creations”, by a Polish artist, Renata Przenioslo, to coincide with the late QUEEN vocalist’s twelfth death anniversary (November 24).
The idea to create these paintings was born very shortly after the death of Freddie Mercury, which affected Renata greatly. It was Freddie’s genius and tragic personality combined with the truly reflexive lyrics of his songs and eventually the shocking death of the artist which motivated Renata to start painting the series. In the paintings she tried to capture Freddie’s genius and Freddie as an ordinary man, complex and approachable, extravagant and eccentric. The paintings came to life as a result of a strong internal instinct, a huge fascination and to commemorate an artist whose life and death deeply moved so many people around the world.
“The news about Freddie’s death shocked me deeply,” she said. “Now, after all these years I have different feelings but then my reaction was very emotional, as if I had lost somebody very close. I think his beauty as a man and his charm that I perceived had something to do with it too. I was always very sensitive to beauty in all shapes and forms. Before I started to paint, I spent hours re-reading the lyrics, analyzing them, trying to connect them with different events and facts from Freddie’s life. I tried to recall the ever-changing physical aspect of Freddie’s appearance. He often painstakingly disguised, under his costumes, the dreadful illness. I have been wondering recently whether, if Freddie were alive today, I would have devoted to him such a part of my life and art. Possibly not. The tragedy of the events of his death magnified the emotions to inspire me to paint this collection. I worked for ten months as if in a trance, without counting the canvases, painting one painting after another until every idea in my head was exhausted. When I had completed the twelfth painting I had no idea it would be the last. I cannot really say why. This period was magic and so inspirational. I use the second epitaph very cautiously. However in this case I think I only understand it. That is how this collection was born, the tribute to Freddie Mercury, my greatest platonic love. Until this day I cannot comprehend what magic force has guided me and for what purpose. I think it was meant to happen.”
The exhibition opens on Sunday, November 23 at 5:00 p.m. and will run daily 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. until Thursday, December 5.