Comments on: Francis Bacon Studios

Francis Bacon Studios

symbioid — Mon, 13 Dec 2004 22:51:48 -0800

No artist's palette was found in the studio and the artist appears to have used just about anything he could find as a substitute. Even the walls of the studio itself were used to mix and test paints.

By: jonson

jonson — Mon, 13 Dec 2004 23:31:30 -0800

I don't know who this person is... or what the link is about.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 13 Dec 2004 23:50:48 -0800

Isn't it a little embarrassing, in the age of Google, to post to a public forum that you don't know who Francis Bacon is? Of course, you didn't even need Google, as the link in question actually goes so far as to offer a biography of the man.

By: Turtles all the way down

Turtles all the way down — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 00:52:42 -0800

This is fascinating. Thanks for this great post. The word "genius" is applied carelessly by many these days, but I've long thought of Francis Bacon as one of the few who truly deserve this accolade. (And, if I compare the picture of his studio on the home page with my own workspace I can only conclude that, yes, I too must fall into this category.)

By: jjg

jjg — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 00:59:40 -0800

He's the guy who wrote Shakespeare's plays, right?

By: geekyguy

geekyguy — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 03:38:52 -0800

Good stuff. Thanks.

By: trey

trey — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 04:18:24 -0800

I've always enjoyed his study of Pope Innocent X.

By: Secret Life of Gravy

Secret Life of Gravy — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 06:11:27 -0800

Two cut-out heads of George Dyer, one in colour and one in black and white have been found in the studio. Due to the presence of a number of pin holes in these items and the paint around the outlines, it seems likely that they were used to trace the profile on to the canvas. Or maybe they were used as dart boards.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 06:33:13 -0800

Very cool. One of the things I loved about studying art was the way it opened up one's visual imagination - everything and anything became a possible component or subject of a piece of art. So it's great to see a real artist really take that freedom to town.

By: trivirgata

trivirgata — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 07:01:37 -0800

I got to see the relocated studio on a trip to Ireland a few years ago. Bacon has always been a favorite painter of mine, but there's really no way to describe seeing the space where an artist you respect has created his work. I sat there and focused on things like the door to the flat, the ridiculous amount of trash everywhere, and the books that looked like the man referred to constantly. Most impressive though, was to imagine how in the world he ever got some of his canvases in or out of the space - it's remarkably small. To picture your favorite Bacon propped up against the walls of the studio where it was painted is unsurpassed in terms of artistic giddiness. A remarkable space, and a credit to the gallery officials that spent the time and effort to see it through with such detail.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 07:18:03 -0800

I've never been a huge fan of Francis Bacon, but this is awesome. Thanks, symbioid.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 07:56:35 -0800

"Doug: totally owned me. must kill."

By: ScottUltra

ScottUltra — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 07:57:26 -0800

Great link -- thanks! I'm always a bit taken aback when I run across Bacon's work in museums or gallerys. It is very striking, and disconcerting.

By: jonson

jonson — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 08:01:01 -0800

Hey, I'm unashamed to admit it, I'd never heard of Francis Bacon. Now that I've checked out some of his paintings though, I'm glad I did! Thanks symboid. And koeselitz - good one ;-)

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 08:36:16 -0800

I'm always blown away by Bacon's paintings and I've been very much influenced by his stream-of-conciousness everything-and-the-kitchen sink approach to creativity... and I love the complete and utter chaos of his studios. I've applied this system to my own workspace. Apparently Bacon kept the rest of his living spaces impeccably clean... unfortunately I live in a one-room bachelor apartment.

By: vhsiv

vhsiv — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 08:41:57 -0800

Bacon was one of my favorite painters (and this from a once and hopefully future studio artist) but if I see another lazy piece about slovenly 'genius' artists, I think I'm going to hurl. The 'romanticism' of the total slob is waaayy over-rated. I'm a bit of a nihilist myself, with my smoking habit and all, but for Bacon to be playing with his lead-based paint, a zillion different solvents and paint EVERYWHERE, not to mention his alcoholism, his smoking and his unprotected French sailor-boy sex-habit and his gambling, it's not difficult to recognize a guy who was navigating a long walk off of a short cliff. If he hadn't been filthy-rich before the '80's, his life and fame would have been as fast and short-lived as that of Jean-Michel Basquiat (No apologies to those who don't recognize the name, but then he's had a movie made about his pathetic, glitterati, drug-riddled and exploited life... ) If you want to look for heroism or diversity in an artist, see Francisco Goya (1746-1828) or any of the thousands of artists that had to flee Europe during WWII. Bacon was pretty much just a nepotistic freak, just like his hero, Picasso.

By: vhsiv

vhsiv — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 08:57:00 -0800

~~nepotistic~~, substitute 'solipsistic'. Sorry, no coffee yet.

By: kozad

kozad — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:02:26 -0800

Thanks for the link. I, too, count Bacon in my Top Ten, along with Max Ernst, Joseph Beuys, and some more predictable and retro painters like Vermeer (at least Picasso isn't in my top ten, and certainly not Avida Dollars...Salvador Dali...). I'm not art-educated enough to know that "slashed paintings" were a conventional part of a painter's process...ya learn something new every day.

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:29:39 -0800

But Bacon wasn't a slovenly genius. What I think is interesting about Bacon as a person is he was a snappy dresser who kept his living spaces impeccably clean, except for his studio, which was an explosion of chaos. Walking into that space must've been like stepping inside his own troubled & self-destructive mind. And do you really think Picasso was a solipsist? An egotist, no doubt, but it seems to me that Picasso was trying to do more with his art than just knowing himself. (off-topic: Jack Kerouac, now there was a world-class solipsist.)

By: vhsiv

vhsiv — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:04:40 -0800

Fuzzy Monster - I think that Picasso was one of the first 'modern' artists to do arts-activism, with Guernica, but then again, he chose to remain in France during the years of Occupation, despite appearing on the Führer's short-list of moral reprobates and réfusées. In the end, one always has to get past Picasso-the-Artist before you can see into his 'good works' (sort of like Bob Geldhof). I wasn't aware of Bacon's separate living-spaces and snappy couture - I just always assumed that he lived in his studios, as depicted in 'Love Is the Devil'. But if there are revisions to be made in my world-view, please point me in the right direction...

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:43:59 -0800

Check out the biography Francis Bacon: Anatomy of an Enigma. It's written by art critic Michael Peppiatt, who knew Bacon personally, but it's no dry Art History Tome. Bacon was a fascinating character who (as you've noted) lived a pretty way-out life, and it comes through in this very well-written book. I found a copy at my local library, so you might want to check there first.

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:48:15 -0800

Check your own local library, that is. I mean, you're more than welcome to check my local library, but if you don't live in Toronto it might be a hell of a drive.

By: vhsiv

vhsiv — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 11:22:40 -0800

Wow, Fuzzy - that book sounds pretty good. I was only familiar with the David Sylvester books and the anecdotes of a co-Contemporary British Queen. I may have to put that one on my Xmas list... So, I may still be a fan, even after all of my art-star protestation. The book may only be good for lurid details, but I'm on the hunt for those kinds of things as I'm researching Post-War European low-life at the moment. Thanks again...

By: Mars Saxman

Mars Saxman — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:35:21 -0800

Thanks for educating me; prior to this post I had no idea that Francis Bacon the painter and Sir Francis Bacon the Elizabethan philosopher were two different people. The linked page was initially rather confusing as a result... "huh? spray paint in the 17th century?"

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:42:00 -0800

Mars Saxman: I, too, used to make that mistake, until someone corrected me a few years ago. I can imagine people doing the same thing with John Adams. (And, though it's off-topic, funny story: until my senior year of high school, I really admired Sonny Bono for pulling himself up out of the mire of bad pop, breaking up with Cher, becoming a senator, and still having the time to go off and start an Irish rock band.)

By: shoepal

shoepal — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 13:55:42 -0800

Thanks, symbioid!

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 20:52:40 -0800

nice post, symbioid - thanks!