Drawn Blank

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Collection is comprehensive, covering a substantial part of the artist’s body of work making it capable of serving as a stand-alone exhibition. His brushstrokes are like his voice: straightforward, rough, occasionally fragile. He's not after artistic perfection but something larger, a moment, a feeling. The effect is enthralling.”

Bob Dylan has been sketching since the early 1960s, although his work was only shown to the public and made available to buy in 2008. Dylan tends to take on different artistic styles in each of his series, which are generally inspired by the countries and cities he has travelled through whilst on tour. His Beaten Path collection, for example, saw him replicate the American heartlands in broad swaths of watercolour and acrylic on canvas, whilst the more recent Mondo Scripto series features graphite illustrations based on and accompanying his own lyrics. Mondo Scripto opened at Halcyon Gallery in London. The exhibition presented a selection of Bob Dylan’s most iconic songs, handwritten in pen on paper and accompanied with a corresponding drawing in graphite, also on paper. As Tom Piazza, a celebrated novelist and writer on American music, writes in the introduction to the exhibition catalogue, 'Dylan’s restlessly creative mind is never wholly satisfied, and those familiar with these songs will find surprise at many a new turn of phrase. The unexpected couplings of these works and images offer a surprisingly intimate door into each song, adding dimension, delight and insight into the artist’s relation to his own work.' To reflect the amazing body of work contained in 'The Drawn Blank Series', a publishing programme of limited edition graphics commenced, releases in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 generated huge worldwide interest, leading to many of the pieces selling out immediately. Summer 2013 saw the release of 'The Drawn Blank Series 2013', a portfolio of eleven pieces reflecting some of the best images from the collection. Now 'The Drawn Blank Series 2016' continues the journey with some of the most profound and haunting images yet released. Upon their first release in the Drawn Blank book in 1994, Dylan’s sketches wowed critics and viewers alike with their confident hand and raw honesty. Capturing his chance encounters and observations whilst on tour, the release of The Drawn Blank Seriesin 2008 marked his UK fine art debut.Since his first exhibition, Dylan has been producing art more and more prolifically, especially as the pandemic brought his constant touring to a sudden halt. Just like his music, Bob Dylan’s art is inspired by a wide range of sources — with pieces drawing on trends from French Impressionism, German Expressionism, surrealism, cubism and even Film Noir-esque aesthetics. Bob Dylan was one of the foremost figures of the beat generation. His music spoke of a time of great social change. Songs such as "The Times Are a-Changin" and "Blowing In The Wind" have immortalised an era for the enjoyment and inspiration of future generations. Although Bob Dylan is best known as a singer and songwriter, he is also a writer, film director, actor, radio broadcaster and artist. The Drawn Blank Series focuses on three years of Dylan’s artistic career, from 1989 to 1992. The works were drawn whilst touring America, Europe and Asia and reveal a personal insight into “a life lived out of a suitcase” [Andrew Graham-Dixon].The artist’s journeys between cities and towns are personified by his expressionist lines, which capture the instant moment of a place, person and time. Repeated motifs encourage the viewer to explore the depths of colour and the evolution of his work. Museum curators are provided with extensive information and may curate the exhibition to their specifications.

In short, if you are looking for a return over the short to medium term, other artists outperform Bob Dylan. The Drawn Blank series reveals the artist's penchant for experimentation and spontaneity, with each brushstroke imbued with a raw and visceral energy. While Dylan's artistic style may appear deceptively simple at first glance, it is this very unpretentiousness that allows the observer to connect deeply with the essence of his compositions. The artist’s journeys between cities and towns are personified by his Expressionist lines, which capture the instant moment of a place, person and time. Repeated motifs encourage the viewer to explore the depths of colour and the evolution of his work.His art has been likened to that of Pablo Picasso, with critics applauding the relatability of his collections. He paints mostly from life, stating: "I’m pretty much interested in people, histories, myth, and portraits; people of all stripes." I don’t really associate them with any particular time or place or state of mind,” explained Dylan, “but view them as part of a long arc…One can be profoundly influenced by events in Morretes, Brazil, as they can be by the man who sells El Pais in Madrid.” In 2019, he held his retrospective Retrospectrum exhibition at MAM Shanghai, which went on to open at Today's Art Museum in Beijing in July 2020. Featuring his artistic output to date, the tour will cover Asia, Europe and the USA.As a fine-artist, Bob Dylan began drawing in the 1960's to pass time whilst recovering from a motorbike crash. His work was first brought to public attention in 1994 with the publication of the Drawn Blank book, a compilation of drawings and sketches made between 1989 and 1992 whilst on tour in America, Asia and Europe.