Glenn Brown British, b. 1966

Glenn Brown was born in Northumberland, Northern England in 1966. He is a celebrated painter and sculptor and was one of the original members of the Young British Artists group that was prevalent in the 1990s. Brown is known for his attribution paintings in which he adopts subject matters and imagery from Old Master painters such as Rembrandt and Diego Velázquez as well as Contemporary artists like Frank Auerbach and Chris Foss, among others.

Brown studied Fine Art at Norwich School of Art and Design in 1985 furthered his education at the Bath School of Art and Design, and later graduated with a Masters degree in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College in 1992. Captivated with how images can be changed, Brown collectively recycles and manipulates other artist’s work. Using reproductions found online or in exhibition catalogues, he distorts and alters the perspective, size, colouring and format, thus breathing new life into the original works. At first glance, his canvases appear to be made up of layers of impasto yet, upon closer inspection, Brown’s careful application of thin swirling brushstrokes creates a characteristically flat, marble-like surface. His techniques and use of appropriation are equally important qualities in his work. His use of subject matter ranges from his early science fiction landscapes and abstract compositions to figurative imagery based on historical references.

Glenn Brown lives and works in London and in Suffolk, England