Jenny Saville
Encyclopedia
Jenny Saville is a contemporary British painter; best known as one of the Young British Artists
. She is known for her large-scale painted depictions of naked women.
(1988–1992), and was then awarded a six month scholarship to the University of Cincinnati
, where she states that she saw "Lots of big women. Big white flesh in shorts and T-shirts. It was good to see because they had the physicality that I was interested in". A physicality that she partially credits to Pablo Picasso
, an artist that she sees as a painter that made subjects as if "they were solidly there....not fleeting".
She studied at the Slade School Of Fine Art
between 1992 and 1993. At the end of her postgraduate education, the leading British art collector, Charles Saatchi
, purchased her entire senior show and commissioned works for the next two years. In 1994, Saville spent many hours observing plastic surgery
operations in New York.
Saville has dedicated her career to traditional figurative oil painting. Her painterly style has been compared to that of Lucian Freud
and Rubens. Her paintings are usually much larger than life size. They are strongly pigmented and give a highly sensual impression of the surface of the skin as well as the mass of the body. She sometimes adds marks onto the body, such as white "target" rings.
Since her debut in 1992, Saville's focus has remained on the female body, slightly deviating into subjects with "floating or indeterminant gender," painting large scale paintings of transsexuals and transvestites. Her published sketches and documents include surgical photographs of liposuction, trauma victims, deformity correction, disease states and transgender patients.
' third album, The Holy Bible
. Stare (2005) was used the cover of the Manic's 2009 album Journal For Plague Lovers
. This album cover placed second in a 2009 poll for Best Art Vinyl
.
Young British Artists
Young British Artists or YBAs is the name given to a loose group of visual artists who first began to exhibit together in London, in 1988...
. She is known for her large-scale painted depictions of naked women.
Life and career
Saville works and lives in Oxford, England. Saville went to the Lilley and Stone School (now The Grove Specialist Science College), Newark Notts for her secondary education, later gaining her degree at Glasgow School of ArtGlasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
(1988–1992), and was then awarded a six month scholarship to the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, where she states that she saw "Lots of big women. Big white flesh in shorts and T-shirts. It was good to see because they had the physicality that I was interested in". A physicality that she partially credits to Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
, an artist that she sees as a painter that made subjects as if "they were solidly there....not fleeting".
She studied at the Slade School Of Fine Art
Slade School of Fine Art
The Slade School of Fine Art is a world-renownedart school in London, United Kingdom, and a department of University College London...
between 1992 and 1993. At the end of her postgraduate education, the leading British art collector, Charles Saatchi
Charles Saatchi
Charles Saatchi is the co-founder with his brother Maurice of the global advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, and led that business - the world's largest advertising agency in the 1980s - until they were forced out in 1995. In the same year the Saatchi brothers formed a new agency called M&C...
, purchased her entire senior show and commissioned works for the next two years. In 1994, Saville spent many hours observing plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
operations in New York.
Saville has dedicated her career to traditional figurative oil painting. Her painterly style has been compared to that of Lucian Freud
Lucian Freud
Lucian Michael Freud, OM, CH was a British painter. Known chiefly for his thickly impasted portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time...
and Rubens. Her paintings are usually much larger than life size. They are strongly pigmented and give a highly sensual impression of the surface of the skin as well as the mass of the body. She sometimes adds marks onto the body, such as white "target" rings.
Since her debut in 1992, Saville's focus has remained on the female body, slightly deviating into subjects with "floating or indeterminant gender," painting large scale paintings of transsexuals and transvestites. Her published sketches and documents include surgical photographs of liposuction, trauma victims, deformity correction, disease states and transgender patients.
Cover art
Saville's painting Strategy (South Face/Front Face/North Face) appeared on the cover of Manic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
' third album, The Holy Bible
The Holy Bible (album)
The Holy Bible is the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 29 August 1994 by Epic Records and was the last of the band's albums released before the disappearance of lyricist and guitarist Richey Edwards , on 1 February 1995.Edwards was...
. Stare (2005) was used the cover of the Manic's 2009 album Journal For Plague Lovers
Journal for Plague Lovers
Journal for Plague Lovers is the ninth studio album by the alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 18 May 2009, and features posthumous lyrics by Richey Edwards, who vanished on 1 February 1995, and was presumed deceased in 2008. It is the only Manic Street Preachers album...
. This album cover placed second in a 2009 poll for Best Art Vinyl
Best Art Vinyl
Best Art Vinyl is an annual award that first began in 2005. It celebrates artists and designers of vinyl record cover art. The nomination process begins in November and the winners are announced in January, and are exhibited at venues across the United Kingdom and Europe, including the O2, Rough...
.
Exhibitions
- Cooling Gallery, London, 1993, when Saatchi bought all her works.
- The controversial 'SensationSensation exhibitionSensation was an exhibition of the collection of contemporary art owned by Charles Saatchi, including many works by Young British Artists, which first took place 18 September – 28 December 1997 at the Royal Academy of Art in London and later toured to Berlin and New York...
' exhibition at the Royal Academy of ArtRoyal AcademyThe Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
(1997) suddenly brought Saville's work to the attention of the British public at large. - In 2002, she collaborated with photographer Glen LuchfordGlen LuchfordGlen Luchford is a British fashion photographer and film director.Luchford first signed with the New York Agency, Art and Commerce, at the age of 24. In 1997, he signed exclusively to Prada, and has since shot advertising campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Levi's, Mercedes-Benz and Calvin Klein...
to produce huge Polaroids of herself taken from below, lying on a sheet of glass. - "Continuum", September 15 - October 22, 2011 - Gagosian GalleryGagosian GalleryGagosian Gallery is a contemporary art gallery owned and directed by Larry Gagosian. There are currently eleven gallery spaces: three in New York; two in London; one in each of Beverly Hills, Rome, Athens, Paris, Geneva, Hong Kong and Moscow.-1980s:...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
External links
- Detailed biography
- Jenny Saville at Gagosian Gallery
- Saatchi Gallery Additional information on Jenny Saville including artworks, articles, text panels and full biography
- Slade School of Fine Art