Amy Winehouse

About this work

MikoArt-Liquid Gloss®-07FP/Amy Winehouse-120x120cm

In this artwork I paint a tribute to Amy Winehouse — vulnerable and powerful at once. I have depicted her in the middle of a performance, the microphone gripped firmly in her hand, as though she were clinging to the one thing that was always honest with her: music. Her characteristic beehive, the bamboo hoop earrings, the eyeliner and the red rose in her hair refer to her iconic look, but also to her love of classic soul and jazz.

The butterflies floating around her stand for her fragility and her longing for freedom. They are colourful and light, but also fleeting — just like her life and her career. The vivid colours, sharp contrasts and the rays in the background evoke the spotlights, the stage and the fame that lifted her up while at the same time putting her under pressure. They speak too of her exceptional musical gift and of the restlessness that marked her life. Into her jewellery and clothing I have worked subtle references to her background and identity, while her gaze keeps something distant about it: present on stage, but often alone inside. With this painting I wanted to make more than a portrait — I wanted to capture a feeling: the raw emotion of an exceptional talent who touched the world deeply with her voice, her honesty and her pain.

She broke through worldwide with the album Back to Black. With her deep, soulful voice and personal lyrics she grew into one of the most influential artists of her generation. At the same time her exceptional musical career was constantly under pressure from addiction, media attention, personal struggles and eating disorders, which led to her early death from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27. That continuous struggle I have expressed in the layering of the painting: nothing is flat or still, everything seems to be in motion. With this work I do not wish to pass judgement, but to invite understanding. It is my tribute to her musical legacy and a quiet reminder of the high price that is sometimes paid for exceptional talent. Amy Winehouse lives on in this painting as what she was: a unique voice, vulnerable and unforgettable. I wanted to show her not only as an icon, but above all as a human being — gifted, fragile and full of contradictions.

MikoArt-Liquid Gloss®

The artworks are produced using the most modern techniques and the finest quality materials. The artwork is printed on high-grade Fuji Crystal DP II Ultra HD photographic paper, permanently bonded to a 4 mm thick Alu-dibond support and protected with a 3 mm layer of high-quality Liquid Gloss® epoxy resin. This finish gives the artwork not only an intense colour and three-dimensional presence but also a refined, luxurious appearance. It also guarantees many years of durability and resistance to ultraviolet light. Where a frame or border has been applied to the work, it is integrated within the artwork itself. The gold frame or border is integrated within the artwork and is therefore not present as a physical frame.