Icons in Art

As early as the 4th-century artists have been painting icons. Starting with religious icons in art, and then royal, until the modern era where tributes range over hundreds of years of symbolic figures. From Peter and Paul to Kate Moss and Louis Armstrong, it is human nature to deify those who inspire us. Eden Gallery’s multi-faceted artists dedicate some of their works to the icons of the last century. 

Dorit Levinstein

Dorit Levinstein paints with passion, love, and creativity, embodying her full artistic spirit in everything she does. Bringing her unique palette of brightly contrasting patterns to her sculptures allows her to explore the world of icons and celebrities through a one-of-a-kind eye.

Dorit Levinstein captures Frida Kahlo’s regality in her interpretation. Bringing the self-portrait painting to 3-dimensional life in her signature style, the artist captivates Kahlo while expressing her own colorful senses. Also a convention-bending woman, Levinstein is a renegade artist, much like Kahlo. Creating her own narrative through twisting and bizarre shapes, covered in ecstatic patterns, that when mixed together, become beautiful, recognizable sculptures. Levinstein recreates the spirit of Frida Kahlo while staying true to her own unique approach. 

“We’ve become collectively addicted to the gossip surrounding our modern icons, but pay no real interest in understanding their intimate dimensions.” – Dorit Levinstein

The inspirational and captivating singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse was best known for her deep and expressive vocals, as well as her quintessential ’60s inspired appearance. One of Dorit Levinstein’s greatest muses, Winehouse, remains true to her iconic look with an instantly recognizable beehive hairdo and the thick black cat-eye liner, all without compromising Levinstein’s own colorful signature. This sculpture is an excellent blend of two extraordinary artists. Levinstein’s unique take brings another dimension of life to the already lively image of the iconic musician.

SN

The butterfly artist SN has an eye for beauty and fame. He uses well-known faces in his fantasy artworks to create a likeness of the fashion icons. Reimagining these icons as angels or warriors, he creates an alluring image using both his muses of fashion and nature.

One of the greatest fashion icons in history Kate Moss has walked the runway for top designers; she has fronted campaigns for high-end brands; she has designed her own fashion collections, and when it comes to high fashion, the woman has done it all. She is the style icon of her generation. She is also one of the great muses of SN who based an entire collection on the ideals of beauty and high fashion in one of his recent collections. 

SN expresses his artistic eye for composition in his magical mixed media paintings to create scenes from a fantasy world. See his full collection of butterfly beauties here.

Alec Monopoly

The famed international phenomenon, Alec Monopoly, has become quite the icon himself. Noted for his top hat, mask, and sparkling chains, Monopoly has become a Simpsons character, an Art Basel luminary, and an Instagram hotshot. When he is not depicting his usual mod of characters, Monopoly shows off his skills portrait artist—having painted some of the most iconic celebrities on a massive scale on multi-storied murals and on canvases.

Mike Tyson is the boxing world heavyweight champion and, at only 20-years-old won the record as the youngest boxer to ever win a heavyweight title. A title that he still holds today. Alec Monopoly paints the young Mike Tyson in action in 'Mike Tyson Swinging Punch'. He adds movement to the canvas with the splattering paints while framing the muscular figure of the most iconic fighter in history.

Explore Alec Monopoly’s exciting collection of mixed media paintings exclusively at Eden Gallery here.

Angelo Accardi

Angelo Accardi combines inspirations from artists over the centuries in his surreal artworks. He combines classical art with contemporary references to creates the perfect composition.

The passionate, patriotic, feminist painter, inspired by heartache as much as by flowers and color, has painted several nations and inspired thousands of artists globally. Considered one of Mexicos’ most valued treasures, Frida Kahlo is now one of the most celebrated female painters in history. Angelo Accardi pays his homage to this icon in his one-of-a-kind tapestry collection. Using fire, he paints Kahlo’s well-known face with her signature flowered headdress and his signature blue ostrich. 

Famed for his role in Terminator and Conan the Barbarian as much as for the two terms he served as the Governor for California, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an American icon. In Accardi’s 'Dear Arnold', a young Schwarzenegger lounges on the couch with framed portraits of army heroes behind him and the artistic image, a can of Campbell’s tomato soup, on the floor in front of him. Finally, posing at the foot of the couch is one of Accardi’s ostriches. Bringing together icons of government, film, art, and battle, Accardi places his ostrich amongst the elite. Perhaps he is alluding to the bright future that this young pink ostrich may have, or maybe he is bringing a new perspective to the icons that the audience has not yet seen.

Check out Angelo Accardi’s ‘misplaced’ characters and familiar icons here!

Icons in Art

For hundreds of years artists have been immortalizing famous faces in figures through sculpture and paints, these figures revered or idolized as they have achieved success through their political fervor, their angelic voices, or acting capabilities. A person or character regarded as a representative worthy of admiration becomes forever immortalized in Eden Gallery’s Icons Collection, see it here!