A child taking part in the portrait painting record attemptSky Arts
Painting the Sky on Sunday
Byron Kim’s diaristic texts offer a bird’s-eye view of his life — the youth soccer games, the dinner parties, the glum and the optimistic moods, the children going away to college.
by Louis Bury January 27, 2018 January 26, 2018
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Byron Kim, “Sunday Painting 6/5/16” (2016), acrylic and pencil on canvas mounted on panel, 14 x 14 inches
In the diaristic handwritten paragraph overlaid upon the white, cloudy sky of his Sunday Painting, “6/5/16,” Byron Kim meditates on his use of color and jokes, “Maybe someday I will be considered the idiot savant of the abstract sublime.” The self-deprecating joke reflects an unfortunate truth about some perceptions of Kim’s oeuvre. His penchant for creating minimalist painting series’ that straddle the line between abstraction and representation and play with part-whole relationships can suggest that he has a narrow artistic range. This sense of aesthetic narrowness is compounded by his landmark Synecdoche (1991-2) — a grid of small monochromatic rectangles, each panel of which depicts the skin color of the sitter whose “portrait” Kim has painted — which is so evocative and art historically important that it tends to eclipse the rest of his work in the public imagination.
At James Cohan Gallery, Kim’s Selected Sunday Paintings, 1/7/01 to 2/11/18 complicates any oversimplifications of his career. The exhibition, which contains nearly 100 paintings, is the largest presentation yet of a series that has been ongoing for over 15 years; as such, it allows us to consider an underappreciated but essential strand of Kim’s life work. I say “life work,” rather than “oeuvre” or “output,” because, in aggregate, the series turns out to be a tour de force of accidental autobiography. Every Sunday since 2001, Kim has produced a 14×14-inch acrylic painting that depicts a slice of sky — blues and whites predominate, with occasional washes of gray — and contains a small observational paragraph handwritten on the canvas. Reading through the paragraphs from start to finish provides an unexpectedly poignant bird’s-eye view of Kim’s life — the youth soccer games, the dinner parties, the glum and the optimistic moods, the children going away to college.
What makes the exhibition more than just a series of dreamily rendered analogue status updates is the intersection of Kim’s personal timeline with the timeline of world-historical events. He begins the project with trepidation — “Every Sunday?” he wonders in “7 January 2001” — but finds solace in its routine after the September 11 World Trade Center attacks. As the project continues, Kim’s quotidian equilibrium is periodically disrupted by seismic shifts in the larger world: “War is looming” (“3/16/03”); “Today we have a Black President” (“1/20/09”); Hurricanes Irene roils New York City (“8/28/11”); “Donald Trump is the president elect of the United States” (“11/14/16”).
Byron Kim, “Sunday Painting 3/16/03” (2003), acrylic and pencil on panel, 14 x 14 inches
Even as the Sunday Paintings’ texts register an array of personal and political changes over time, their skies remain relatively constant. Kim skillfully captures the sky’s subtle variations with his brushstrokes and color gradations, but the fact is that an arbitrary square of sky doesn’t change much from day to day; viewed from a distance, the paintings, gauzy and calm, appear interchangeable. This contrast gives the work much of its force. Whether Barack Obama or Donald Trump has been elected President, whether Kim’s daughter, Addee, scores a goal or rides the bench, the sky’s celestial indifference remains the same.
Byron Kim, “Sunday Painting 12/6/15” (2015), acrylic and pen on canvas mounted on panel, 14 x 14 inches
In addition to providing cosmic perspective on life, Kim’s Sunday Paintings, in their incorporation of writing into painting, also provide perspective on the artist’s aesthetic. In themselves and in comparison with one another, his minimalist painting series’ are far from one-note exercises in figurative abstraction. With an economy of aesthetic means, each series conveys surprising depth of thought and range of emotion. In the Sunday Painting, “12/6/15,” Kim has just returned from viewing The Bronx Museum’s Martin Wong retrospective and gushes, “What a great artist. It doesn’t need to be so complicated or sensational to be so good.” The observation applies to Kim’s work as well. Few artists manage to do more with less.
Sunday Paintings, 1/7/01 to 2/11/18 continues at James Cohan (533 West 26th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan) through February 17.
Elise Dufour
▸ 41 years old, France, Decorative Arts (Glass)
“Since 2007, in my “Leaves” series, I have been working with glass, shaping each piece by hand at temperatures between 700 and 800 degrees. Without a mold, I touch the fluid material, breaking the conventions of thermoforming. My approach is a dance between technical mastery and instinctive gestures. After firing, I sculpt through sandblasting, seeking the delicate balance between opacity and transparency. My works, intimately connected to light and time, raise questions about our fragile presence in the world. I also share my expertise, teaching in various locations. The presented artwork is a dialogue between cultures and a celebration of light.”
“From Dawn to Dusk”, 2019, Hand-formed glass pieces with contact gloves and sandblasted.
Graciela ieger
▹ 71 years old, Argentina, Painting
“From my earliest age, I was fascinated by drawing, inspired by my father. At seven years old, I filled large albums with my creations. Discovering the laws of perspective at twelve was a revelation, turning flat paper into a three-dimensional space. Today, this magic still drives me as I paint urban landscapes, exploring light, shadow, and the beauty of everyday life through my works. Night scenes offer me an incredible opportunity to explore these elements. In this piece, I depict intense light piercing the darkness of the night. The only reference to humanity is the reflection of a mannequin in the glass, adding a mysterious and contemplative dimension to my work.”
“Corner”, 2016, Oil on canvas, 120 x 90 cm (47 x 35 in.).
Fred Kleinberg
▸ 57 years old, France, Painting, 3rd participation
“For three decades, I have cultivated a figurative art in painting and drawing, exhibited worldwide. Intrigued by social phenomena, I scrutinize the impact of the personal on our condition. My travels nourish my contemplation and creativity, structured in thematic series. “Odyssey” (2016/2017) explores exile and migration, drawing from experiences in refugee camps. “We can be heroes” (2019-2021) questions heroism through a gallery of inspiring portraits. Lastly, “Red situation” (2022/2023) delves into the boundaries between the interior and exterior, shedding light on urbanity and isolation in the context of confinement, with a predominance of red, a color laden with symbolism.”
“Mars”, 2023, Oil painting on canvas, 130 x 197 cm (51 x 78 in.).
‘Proud’ Sir Lenny Henry on posing for Guinness World Record-breaking portrait painting
Artists of all abilities (200 in person and 1150 online) had one hour to paint a portrait of Sir Lenny Henry on an A3 canvas using acrylic paints.
Ahead of the record attempt, Sir Lenny Henry spoke to indy100 about the event, his appreciation for art along with its importance, and his latest project Three Little Birds.
Sir Lenny described the event as “extraordinary” and jokingly noted how keen he was to get involved “as somebody who is quite vain to be in a room where over 200 people are all painting a picture of you.”
Upon arrival at the venue, artists were queuing around the block to take part in a record attempt – some travelling as far as Yorkshire and Glasgow to attend in person.
Excited art-lovers queuing up outside Lindley Hall, London to take part in the live portrait painting of Sir Lenny Henry for a Guinness World Record attemptSky Arts
“I was just talking to some of the artists out there, some of them from the queue,” the actor, comedian, and writer noted.
“They were all talking about the beneficial aspects of any kind of drawing or painting or landscape drawing or painting.
“This lady said ‘I start painting if I feel bad or if I’ve got a headache or something I paint and within 10 minutes I’ve forgotten it I’m just in the painting,’ and I think that anything that can do that whether it’s playing the piano or painting.
“Even if you’re not very good, it can release something in you, some kind of creative sperm that can ease your mind and you can lose yourself in the art and I’ve been very lucky because I’ve been able to do that since I was 16.”
During the bleaker times of the Covid pandemic lockdowns, many of us picked up new hobbies such as drawing or painting to cope with this new reality, and Sir Lenny believes since then people have discovered that “finding some kind of creative outlet is key to survival.”
“I think that if you could do something that lets you lose yourself, we’re not thinking about the things that assail you every day. It’s a good thing,” he added.
“So to me, writing, playing the piano, walking, thinking these are all good things to be doing. And for a lot of these people here, to sit down with a pencil or a paintbrush and just lose themselves in a painting is something it’s like taking an aspirin but a lot cheaper.”
This is not the first time that Sir Lenny has posed for a portrait, as last year’s Portrait Artist of the Year winner Morag Caister was invited to paint a portrait of Sir Lenny for the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.
“The National Portrait Gallery as you walk in – it’s there and you look up and go “Oh my God that’s Len!” he exclaimed.
“I’m really proud of it and Morag did a great job.”
Nowadays, most of us see ourselves in photographs and therefore a portrait painting might not be exactly as how you imagined it – a factor which Sir Lenny mentioned: “A lot of my family said it was the first time they had seen a picture of me that wasn’t the picture they expected.”
“Photographs are very different, a photograph is [claps his hands together] and it’s done,” he explained.
“Whereas to paint something over a period of time, where you’re continually revising and rethinking. And re-conceptualising your idea is completely different.
“So of course, the picture that ended up on the wall of a National Portrait Gallery, you could say, well, that’s like, Lenny, but it’s like 77 of a second have an instance of a moment of levity. It’s not just one moment.”
And that’s just one portrait painting – for this event, there are going to be over a thousand different portraits of Sir Lenny, where all the artists will have their own perception of him.
“If you look at the room, there are a couple of 100 easels up there,” he said.
“With all these people, they’re gonna paint me from hundreds of different angles and that fascinates me.
“I wonder if you were to glue all the pieces together, it’d be like a kaleidoscope of Len like The Truman Show in picture form of extraordinary. It’s very flattering.”
Sir Lenny Henry with some of the artists who took part in the portrait painting record attempt, along with their artwork.Sky Arts
While Sir Lenny did not pick up a paintbrush for this event (after all he was modelling), he was humble about his drawing abilities.
“I could sort of do caricature type things and I could copy the Marvel Comics a bit,” he said, though “…to sit in and draw a tree or something that wasn’t something [he] could do.”
But an art fan he is, noting how he’s got “a lot of art” in his house and listing off some of his favourite artists.
“Morag showed me some of her portfolio and I thought it was delightful,” the entertainer commented,
“There’s an artist in Cornwall, called Steven Hubbard, who paints household tools. He paints things like secateurs and swimming goggles, and Meccano race cars made beautiful.”
He added: “I loved Keith Haring because I was a big fan of early hip hop. So Keith Haring was kind of visual representation of the scene was quite extraordinary, all those men with the movement lines outside and all those really weird shapes.”
Sitting for a portrait is an experience of quietude as the artist studies and paints their subject – so where exactly does the model’s mind go?
“You’re just in a kind of semi-meditative state,” according to Sir Lenny.
Sir Lenny Henry getting his portrait painted by over 200 people last Saturday (October 28).Sky Arts
“Your brain just goes away with the fairies and the next thing you know, it’s two hours later.”
(Don’t worry, tea and loo breaks are also included).
In terms of getting facial expression right it’s “…that face that demeanour you’ve got when you’re just listening, or you’re just thinking something through, so you’re not going to go, you know, in a rip to smile, saying, ‘Pay me and I can do this for three minutes’.
Post portrait painting live, Sir Lenny shared what the experience was like – “The record attempt was amazing and surpassed all my expectations. It was inspiring to see so many artists of all abilities and ages come together,” and added how seeing 200 portrait of himself in person was “quite a moment.”
Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, said: “It was lovely to welcome so many fans and aspiring artists down to Lindley Hall this weekend to celebrate the tenth series of Portrait Artist of the Year.
“It was fantastic to have Sir Lenny back sitting for us, and to see how much the artists accomplished in an hour – we definitely had some stars of the future in the room.”
This record attempt was a global affair with 1150 art-lovers painted along online from across the world, via a live stream broadcast on Facebook and TikTok hosted by presenter, Yinka Bokinni, with people tuning in from Norway, Portugal, Canada and the US.
Livestream participants included students from Art-K, an art school for children and adults with studios across England and Wales, as well as schools who have participated in Sky Arts’ Access All Arts Week initiative.
A child taking part in the portrait painting record attemptSky Arts
Sir Lenny emphasised the need for art to be a staple in the education curriculum and how art intersects with other subjects.
“I think that one of the things you need to have at school is this idea that art is everything and everything is art, and art comes into every subject matter,” he told indy100.
“So this idea of trying to squish art out of the STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] thing is a mistake,” referring to the government’s focus on these subjects in recent years.
“There’s an area where maths and art meet and I think that if people don’t understand that they’re crazy to me.”
Sir Lenny added: “Art should be in every school, just like Black history, because Black history is our history in the same way that artists for everyone, and I think people should think about that.”
Black history plays a crucial part in Sir Lenny’s writing for the ITV drama Three Little Birds, after getting inspired by stories he was told by his mother Winifred who was part of the Windrush generation of the late fifties.
The story is set in 1957, post-Windrush, and follows three women – sisters Leah (Rochelle Neil) and Chantrelle (Saffron Coomber) and their friend Hosanna (Yazmin Belo) – who make the three-week journey from Clarendon, Jamaica to start a new life in Dudley, Britain.
The show is been praised for how it doesn’t shy away from the brutal reality of the racist treatment the Windrush generation received as they made the UK their home.
‘Three Little Birds,’ written by Sir Lenny Henry, first aired on Sunday 22nd October at 9pm on ITV1.ITV
“You could say, apart from abstract landscapes, the best art comes from reality,” Sir Lenny noted.
“My family came to this country in the 50s. I was born in 1958 and I grew up in a world where people, it took a long time for people to get used to us because we’re visually other.
“People were scared, you know, they think ‘these people have come over here to take our jobs’. And we didn’t take any of these jobs, we came here and worked very hard to try and fit in and to feed our kids and clothe them.
Acceptance was also a “big thing” for Sir Lenny’s family too.
“My mom told us that we had to integrate and try to fit in with the English people. And we did our best and I think that is a triumph.
“And that’s what Three Little Birds about. It’s about the triumph of overcoming obstacles of racism, patriarchy, sexism, and it’s about families and allies uniting to do that.”
The show has also received glowing feedback from his family.
“My nephew Lester said ‘I’ve told everybody in Leicester. We’ve watched all of them they want to know where season two is happening.’ My family love it.”
Portraits painted as part of the record attempt can be viewed by following #PAOTYWorldRecord on social media. The event was also supported by art materials supplier, Cass Art.
Portrait Artist of the Year airs weekly on Sky Arts, Freeview and NOW.
All episodes of ‘Three Little Birds’ are available to watch on ITVX.
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