Zoomania

The limited edition print continues The Miserable Lives of Fabulous Artists series by Chris Orr, which to date includes around 28 unique works on paper. The artist’s eclectic range of subjects includes some of the great names from art history, including among others, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper and Jackson Pollock, all of whom he depicts using his own characteristically humorous visual language.

With extraordinary attention to detail, Orr portrays each artist in a scenario that elaborates inventively around well-known elements of their life and art. In Orr’s own words, ‘Leonora Carrington imagined people as untamed beasts. As a student I read her short stories and shoved them to the back of my mind. I rediscovered them in 2017 and found that I had, unbeknown to myself, been using elements of them in my work for years.’

All proceeds from sales of this work go directly to support the non-profit-making areas of the Royal Academy, particularly the RA Schools.

"Leonora Carrington imagined people as untamed beasts. As a student I read her short stories and shoved them to the back of my mind. I rediscovered them in 2017 and found that I had, unbeknown to myself, been using elements of them in my work for years."

The series of paintings, also published as a monograph by the RA, features some of the great names from art history including Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Hokusai, among others. Using his characteristically humorous visual language, Orr portrays each artist in scenarios that elaborate inventively upon well-known elements of their life and work. Looking beyond, Orr’s work engages with the modern city and the social interactions that shape it.

The RA Editions programme generates valuable revenue for the RA and in particular the RA Schools.​​