For years, Johnny Depp's legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard were followed by the media and people around the world. Eventually, this culminated in a widely watched trial in 2022, which concluded with the pair settling their defamation claims against each other. It was during this emotional time that the Pirates of the Caribbean actor turned to art as a creative outlet. He recently unveiled a self-portrait made in 2021, which is based on a 2015 photograph taken of Depp for Christian Dior Parfums.
Depp produced the self-portrait at the studio of British illustrator Ralph Steadman. He was drawn to this image of his face—taken by French creative director Jean-Baptiste Mondino—because of his long working relationship with Dior. The painting version features Depp's face staring directly at the camera with an expressive choice of colors lining his eyes and lips. There is also a series of five tally marks on the side, which marks how many years the dispute with Heard lasted.
“This image captures the emotional exhaustion Johnny was feeling when he completed the artwork in 2021, as he was about to enter the fifth year of a very difficult period of his life,” a statement about the painting explains. “He added the ‘five’ tally-mark annotation in recognition of this moment in time.”
With this image, Depp attempted to capture the depth of his emotional state during this difficult time. “To Johnny, the image symbolizes the importance of truth and the steadfast support of those who remain close to you during challenging times,” the statement adds. Signed limited-edition prints are available for purchase for $2,494 via Castle Fine Art. Additionally, $200 will go directly to Mental Health America, a leading community-based non-profit charity dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and illness prevention.
The sale for the print runs until midnight GMT on August 1, 2023. You can check it out here.
Actor Johnny Depp unveiled a self-portrait he made during his legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard.
He described this period as one of the darkest times in his life.
The painting is based on a photograph taken of the actor in 2015 for Christian Dior Parfums.
Depp made the image in the studio of British illustrator Ralph Steadman in 2021.
The image includes a detailed shot of Depp's face which stares directly at the viewer.
There are also five tally marks to signify the duration of this period of his life.
The limited edition signed print is being sold for $2,9494 via Castle Fine Art.
$200 of the proceeds are going to Mental Health America.
Castle Fine Art: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Daily Mail]
All images via Castle Fine Art.
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