LORD of the Dance Michael Flatley has transformed himself into Count of the Canvas, or perhaps Prince of the Palette, with his latest foray into the art world.
Last week saw the opening of the dancer’s first-ever art exhibition in London, with celebrities from the world of art, sport and showbusiness in attendance — quaffing Guinness and admiring, for once, his handiwork and not his footwork.
Guests, including Paul McGinley, Alistair Guy, Lady Violet Manners, Hum Fleming and HRH Princess Alia Al Senussi, attended the show at the Hay Hill Club, Mayfair, London.
The exhibition features 25 paintings — yours for prices ranging from £50,000 to £250,000.
The paintings are made by the former Riverdancer dancing on canvases — actually strips of marley, a type of vinyl floor covering used by tap-dancers. The work was done at Flatley's studios in both his Co. Cork mansion, Castlehyde, and at his home in Barbados.
The paintings draw inspiration from a range of influences and recall the work of artists such as Jackson Pollock and Gerhard Richter. Oscar Wilde, painted in 2015 by the artist, echoes the work of David Bomberg, the father of British abstractionists and another of Flatley’s inspirations.
The exhibition at the Hay Hill Club runs until the end of July.
