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Never-Before-Seen Kurt Cobain Paintings That Reveal New Dimensions Of His Personality
Never-Before-Seen Kurt Cobain Paintings That Reveal New Dimensions Of His Personality
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Never-Before-Seen Kurt Cobain Paintings That Reveal New Dimensions Of His Personality

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Most of us have probably heard Kurt Cobain’s music at some point in our lives, but did you know that he used to paint as well? That’s right, the legendary Nirvana frontman was a multi-dimensional artist, and The Seattle Art Fair decided to host an exhibition, dedicated to Kurt’s visual artwork. It included some of his never-before-seen paintings which add new dimensions to the artist’s already rich personality.

Organized by the United Talent Agency (UTA), the exhibition took place at Seattle Art Fair from August 3-6. Kurt’s paintings, depicting skeletal figures and dark iconography, strongly coincide with his music. In addition to Cobain’s paintings, Seattle Art Fair showcased a selection of his notebooks (that have been in storage since his death in 1994) and a selection of works by other rebel artists like Mike Kelley, Nate Lowman, Elizabeth Peyton and Raymond Pettibon.

Some hardcore Nirvana fans might also recognize one painting. Even though it’s untitled, the same artwork was used on the album cover for Incesticide. Despite huge interest, Kurt’s pieces weren’t available for purchase. “It’s too hard to put a price on them,” UTA representative Joshua Roth said. “They’re very special to the family.”

More info: seattleartfair.com (h/t: dazed)

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    Rokas Laurinavičius

    Rokas Laurinavičius

    Author, Senior Writer

    Read more »

    Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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    Rokas Laurinavičius

    Rokas Laurinavičius

    Author, Senior Writer

    Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

    What do you think ?
    John L
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder why nobody ever took the time to make him go and get some serious help? One good look at his artwork alone and any psychiatrist would hear alarm bells going off all over the place. Obviously those around him were either uncaring, or too stoned to even care. So sad. :(

    Arnoud Lievers
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sorry guys but If you know anything about depression, you know its a lonely road. You are right when you say inner demons. It's on the inside. something you face alone. To assume a lost fight with inner demons is caused by a lack of care from friends is just not right. Sometimes the demons just win, you can't hug it out of someone, and its a painfull proces to be on the sidelines for. But sometimes thats all there is, the sidelines. It's the same for a psychiatrist, you guys act like there is some kind of wonderdrug for depression. This just does not exist. You are right to blame inner demons, it's not fair to blaim anyone else if you ask me. especially if you don't have the ins and outs.

    Load More Replies...
    Sifi Jay
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have a bi-polar disorder so I completely understand Kurt's artwork. Clear lines of serious depression here but what can you do? the only thing someone can do is try to comfort the sick person, nothing more. Like I said I am bi-polar and I recently broke up with my girlfriend because I didn't love myself but I'm glad I am able to break through the bubble now, clear my mind and try to love & fix myself. I'm so glad I caught it now before I seriously hurt myself. It's no fun when you have a disease like Kurt has or that I have it's no fun at all. May he R.I.P.

    PARANOIDANDROID
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    everyone here is commenting on Kurt instead of the Art, me personally think that the one about crack babies is not holding a crack pipe but a weed bong, weird that Kurt didnt know the difference, can you smoke crack out of a water bong?, Side note: I dont think those drawings are that f****d up, well only the one about the corn poop, but everything else seems pretty normal even expected... I guess he was an Iron Maiden fan

    D Starkey
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To even suggest that friends or family were even remotely to blame is in itself insane, like what was said before, sometimes the inner demons just win. No doubt he was a strain on more people that we know.

    D Starkey
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well that confirms it for me, his head was f____d, people with his affliction are introvert and you don't really knows how intense their thoughts are and how they can be needy to the extreme then it dissipates and then they don't relate to anyone.

    Hisseefit
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I loved the music. Kurt's art shows his pain and how brittle his 'being' was. The first with the flowers, is my fav, he found some joy.

    Andrew Keane
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As pieces of work if saw any worth exhibiting I would say 1 and 3 are an actual style I'd find interesting. The rest, high school sketches

    Stephanie Hutner
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Most of these drawing are in his notebook.

    Yennefer of Vengerberg
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't know if anyone else watched the documentary Kurt and Courtney, but I've always thought his death wasn't actually a suicide after watching it. The facts just don't add up. Anyway, great to see these artworks, I'll always adore Kurt.

    FreeBird
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Every single moment of your life is an opportunity for creativity even the darkest moments, perhaps especially them – author unknown

    lovealways<3
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Such an amazing human being. Beautiful music, beautiful soul, beautiful art. He's still missed very much <3

    lovealways<3
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He didn't commit suicide and if you've gone over or through all of the evidence you would see that, besides the fact he had enough Heroine in his system to knock out an elephant, he wouldn't have been able to move let alone shoot himself, but that's a discussion for another day because everyone has their opinions. And plenty of troubled people have made beautiful art or writings in their life. He also spent his time telling people NOT to be like him, NOT to do drugs, and to have a good life. He didn't care about fame, he just wanted to be a normal person sharing music with the world. He loved his daughter. You don't have to like him or his music, or his art even. But you do lack respect for a person you don't even know. A lot of the most amazing music artists we've seen have died from drug use or overdoses. To each their own.

    Load More Replies...
    John L
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder why nobody ever took the time to make him go and get some serious help? One good look at his artwork alone and any psychiatrist would hear alarm bells going off all over the place. Obviously those around him were either uncaring, or too stoned to even care. So sad. :(

    Arnoud Lievers
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sorry guys but If you know anything about depression, you know its a lonely road. You are right when you say inner demons. It's on the inside. something you face alone. To assume a lost fight with inner demons is caused by a lack of care from friends is just not right. Sometimes the demons just win, you can't hug it out of someone, and its a painfull proces to be on the sidelines for. But sometimes thats all there is, the sidelines. It's the same for a psychiatrist, you guys act like there is some kind of wonderdrug for depression. This just does not exist. You are right to blame inner demons, it's not fair to blaim anyone else if you ask me. especially if you don't have the ins and outs.

    Load More Replies...
    Sifi Jay
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have a bi-polar disorder so I completely understand Kurt's artwork. Clear lines of serious depression here but what can you do? the only thing someone can do is try to comfort the sick person, nothing more. Like I said I am bi-polar and I recently broke up with my girlfriend because I didn't love myself but I'm glad I am able to break through the bubble now, clear my mind and try to love & fix myself. I'm so glad I caught it now before I seriously hurt myself. It's no fun when you have a disease like Kurt has or that I have it's no fun at all. May he R.I.P.

    PARANOIDANDROID
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    everyone here is commenting on Kurt instead of the Art, me personally think that the one about crack babies is not holding a crack pipe but a weed bong, weird that Kurt didnt know the difference, can you smoke crack out of a water bong?, Side note: I dont think those drawings are that f****d up, well only the one about the corn poop, but everything else seems pretty normal even expected... I guess he was an Iron Maiden fan

    D Starkey
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To even suggest that friends or family were even remotely to blame is in itself insane, like what was said before, sometimes the inner demons just win. No doubt he was a strain on more people that we know.

    D Starkey
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well that confirms it for me, his head was f____d, people with his affliction are introvert and you don't really knows how intense their thoughts are and how they can be needy to the extreme then it dissipates and then they don't relate to anyone.

    Hisseefit
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I loved the music. Kurt's art shows his pain and how brittle his 'being' was. The first with the flowers, is my fav, he found some joy.

    Andrew Keane
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As pieces of work if saw any worth exhibiting I would say 1 and 3 are an actual style I'd find interesting. The rest, high school sketches

    Stephanie Hutner
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Most of these drawing are in his notebook.

    Yennefer of Vengerberg
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't know if anyone else watched the documentary Kurt and Courtney, but I've always thought his death wasn't actually a suicide after watching it. The facts just don't add up. Anyway, great to see these artworks, I'll always adore Kurt.

    FreeBird
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Every single moment of your life is an opportunity for creativity even the darkest moments, perhaps especially them – author unknown

    lovealways<3
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Such an amazing human being. Beautiful music, beautiful soul, beautiful art. He's still missed very much <3

    lovealways<3
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He didn't commit suicide and if you've gone over or through all of the evidence you would see that, besides the fact he had enough Heroine in his system to knock out an elephant, he wouldn't have been able to move let alone shoot himself, but that's a discussion for another day because everyone has their opinions. And plenty of troubled people have made beautiful art or writings in their life. He also spent his time telling people NOT to be like him, NOT to do drugs, and to have a good life. He didn't care about fame, he just wanted to be a normal person sharing music with the world. He loved his daughter. You don't have to like him or his music, or his art even. But you do lack respect for a person you don't even know. A lot of the most amazing music artists we've seen have died from drug use or overdoses. To each their own.

    Load More Replies...
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