A few months ago, Spanish newspaper
El Mundo commissioned me to paint a portrait of
Pedro Almodovar,
Penelope Cruz and
Antonio Banderas for their weekly magazine. Most of the work that appears on this absurd blog is inspired by gossip, but occasionally I feel like posting illustrations of artists I admire. I tried to find some gossip about Mr. Almodovar, but all I could dig up were
friendly barbs about his impressive head of hair. Sources from
El Mundo tell me Pedro lives his life to the fullest and can often be found holding court in nightclubs and restaurants while surrounded by adoring friends and fans. Pedro grew up poor and without means to pursue his dream of film directing, but despite his limitations, he never allowed himself to be knocked off course. He worked several odd jobs and even spent 12 years working as an adminstrative assistant for Spain's national telephone company while he created experimental short films during after hours. In 1980, he made his first feature film using his friends as volunteers and later went on to win his first Oscar (Best Foreign Language Film) in 1999. Today,
Mr. Almodovar has receieved over 83 film awards and dozens of nominations. I'm told his home country of Spain considers him a national treasure.
Medium: acrylic and ink on board.
THANK YOU:
Bitch magazine featured
Gallery of the Absurd in their quarterly "Bitch List". They said my paintbrush is "skilled in grotesquery and doused with verve" and I couldn't be more flattered. Also, much thanks to the arty Italian street magazine
Stirato for using my work in their
7 Deadly Celebrity Sinners feature. Stirato unfolds from a magazine into a giant, visually saturated poster. Put your glasses on and
take a look here.
I read about you in "Bitch" magazine and really like your work. You are very talented! "Bitch" is a fabulous magazine, by the way.
Posted by: C. Lizzle | October 12, 2007 at 09:25 PM
Your Penelope Cruz is so lifelike and beautiful it literally looks like a mini her. Amazing... Photographic level realism, with beauty. You're incredible!
Posted by: Lily | October 02, 2007 at 04:30 PM
Hey! I love Almodovar's work, but I never knew that he had such an inspiring history!
I'm so glad to be seeing some Almodovar recognition here on one of my favourite sites ever!
I <3 <3 <3 14!
Posted by: Dagnita | October 02, 2007 at 12:29 PM
Awesome, Pedro love!
I can't wait for your latest on BritBrit... How about: In a Carl's Jr. uniform serving her kids to KFed on plastic trays.
Posted by: betty_betty | October 01, 2007 at 08:26 PM
ha! Yes, Bandera's pose comes from a bunch of photos I saw of him from some movie premiere. He was posing for the throngs of photogs by winking and making all these strange gesticulations for the camera. It made me laugh so I added it to the illustration. thanks for asking...
xoxo
14
Posted by: 14 | October 01, 2007 at 05:43 PM
What's with Antonio Bandera's weird pose?
Is it from a movie or a famous photo of him?
Posted by: Omi-san | October 01, 2007 at 05:37 PM
Almodovar is a genius.
Congrats on the well-deserved recognition, babe!
Posted by: phlegmfatale | October 01, 2007 at 05:19 PM
I could just eat up his hair!
Posted by: midevil | October 01, 2007 at 04:02 PM
He looks a bit like Elliott Gould in your painting. I've always seen him as a non-flamboyant Elton John, but I can see the Gouldenness now when I look at a photo of him.
Posted by: Charlene | October 01, 2007 at 03:54 PM
That's a brilliant picture!
Posted by: Emma | October 01, 2007 at 12:32 PM
Antonio Banderas irks the shit out of me, especially when I always managed to see his perfume in Walgreens.
Posted by: Demon Kitty | October 01, 2007 at 09:25 AM
mucha gracias bonita diase quatro! (I need a pass on the spelling, I'm old and feeble)
Posted by: just wonderin | October 01, 2007 at 04:19 AM
This is really fab, 14. Looks exactly like him with his cute, muppet face. I love the fact people are now commissioning work from you. This will be a fun challenge for you and fun for us to see the results. Congrats!
Posted by: Marie | September 30, 2007 at 10:29 PM
I ADORE Pedro and his work!! Nice job 14!
If you are not familiar with his films do yourself a favor and check him out:
2008 La Piel que habito
2006 Volver
2004 Bad Education
2002 Talk to Her
1999 All About My Mother*
1997 Live Flesh
1995 The Flower of My Secret
1993 Kika
1991 High Heels
1990 Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
1988 Women on the Verge of a Nervous* Breakdown
1986 The Law of Desire
1986 Matador
1984 Dark Habits
1984 What Have I Done to Deserve This?
1982 Labyrinth of Passion
1980 Pepi, Luci, Bom y Otras Chicas del Montón
The two I marked with an * are the ones I think will appeal to most audiences - just be warned, some of his movies may be a little hard to take, nuns with aids, trannies, etc.... But ALL are very well made and certainly different! :-D
Posted by: Linda | September 30, 2007 at 06:16 PM
Wow,... I read the text and that's very impressive & inspiring! Of course, the art is too!
Posted by: TheReallyJamesBond | September 30, 2007 at 03:59 PM
As Mugatu says about Hansel, when Hansel interrupts the eulogy with his entrance, "Hansel is SO HOT right now!"
You are SO HOT right now, 14! Going all the way, baby!
Posted by: MC Haiku | September 30, 2007 at 03:06 PM