Actor Pierce Brosnan Debuts His Paintings in New Exhibition

Actor Pierce Brosnan Debuts His First Solo Exhibition of His Deeply Personal Paintings

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Irish actor Pierce Brosnan is perhaps best known for embodying the coveted role of James Bond. However, since leaving the franchise, he has leaned into his other creative passions, most notably painting. Although overshadowed by his acting career, Brosnan has been painting on and off since he was a student in Ireland. His first solo exhibition titled So Many Dreams debuts some of the work he has created over the years, most of which possesses deeply personal feelings to the artist.

The exhibition features an array of boldly colorful paintings and sprawling drawings. His style does not fit into a single box, instead morphing with the content of his art. Sometimes appearing more dense and detailed, while in others, more minimalist. Brosnan's subject matter also varies, covering portraiture, landscapes, interiors, and more.

Although he's loved painting for most of his life, it was not until his first wife Cassandra Harris was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1987 that he began to use it as a cathartic medium. “One night, I got up, and I just started painting. I started painting with my fingers,” Brosnan says. “I went to the canvas to explore that dark rage, that kind of fractured pain that I had. But the color came out. And so the color balance to whatever that inner life was.”

Since Harris's passing in 1991, Brosnan has continued to paint and draw. These days he is fueled by the encouragement of his wife Keely Shaye Brosnan. He says it is thanks to her support that he made the leap to finally debut his portfolio of artwork. So Many Dreams opened around the time of the actor's 70th birthday, which was far from a coincidence. “It’s my own birthday gift to myself to have the courage to say, come and see my artwork,” Brosnan explains. “I still have so many dreams. I have fulfilled coming to America. Creating a career for myself was a big dream and a gamble, and it paid off. So Many Dreams is a love story. It’s a love story of women who have influenced my life and my children and the art form that I make as an actor.”

You can purchase available art here, and do a digital walkthrough of the exhibition via Matterport. Be sure to follow Brosnan on Instagram for more news about upcoming exhibitions and projects.