Artist Larry Rivers
In 2001, the American artist Larry Rivers (1923–2002) painted a large oil on canvas portrait of the Icelandic singer Björk. The Artwork: Titled simply “Björk,” the painting measures 48 x 42 inches (121.9 x 106.7 cm) and was one of the artist’s final works before his death in 2002.
Typical of Rivers’ later style, the portrait utilizes his signature “fragmentary” approach, blending realism with loose, expressive brushwork. It was based on a photograph of the singer.
The piece represents a late-career intersection between Rivers —a pioneering figure who bridged Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art—and Björk, a global icon of avant-garde music.
The painting appeared on a i-D Magazine cover and was featured in the 2005 Marlborough Gallery retrospective Larry Rivers: Paintings and Drawings 1951-2001. It has since appeared in Christie’s auctions and is frequently cited as a notable example of Rivers’ late-period celebrity portraiture. Rivers was a versatile artist who bridged Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, often using commercial imagery, photographs, and portraiture in his work.
My partner and darling man, Joe Rivers, is one of the famous artist’s sons, and he only told me today his Father painted fashion. I thought you’d like to see it because there is also some hair interest.
To see more of Björk CLICK HERE for photos from a retrospective at the 2011 MoMA Museum exhibition archived on my website