Music icon John Lydon has released his first art collection, featuring five original paintings.
Available worldwide, the leader of Public Image Ltd (PiL) and frontman and lyricist of Sex Pistols, has enjoyed a lifelong fascination with art and began to paint at an early age.
His original works, which have been reproduced as high-quality Giclee prints, each limited to 500 numbered copies, point to key moments in his recent history and will be familiar to fans of his band, PiL, and readers of his most recent book, I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right.
Among the collection is Hawaii, a personal yet universal tribute to his now-late wife Nora Forster that will resonate with many. End Of World, which he created as the cover of the most recent album from PiL, which was released in 2023.
There is also What The World Needs Now…, which was painted in 2015 for the last PiL album, as well as the striking artwork I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right, which depicts scenes from his own childhood, in London, along with images of The Blitz in the background.
The collection is completed by original artwork from This is PiL featuring “the Buffalo of Freedom”.
Lydon has long painted and created collages, though his collection of five limited edition prints, which are all hand-signed by the artist, is the first to be made available to the general public.
John Lydon said: “These are my words, coloured in pictures, as I see them. These are pictures of the world, the colours are the words meaning. I hope you understand.”
Copies are available via links below, priced £100 each, plus postage.
The prints are as follows:
John Lydon – This Is PiL – The Buffalo Of Freedom
Original artwork from the 2012 PiL Album ‘This is PiL’, their first studio album in 20 years. John has described the beautiful creature as the ‘Buffalo of Freedom’. This painting does not feature the PiL Logo or title text that John added to the album artwork.
What The World Needs Now – John Lydon
Original artwork from the 2015 PiL studio album ‘What The World Needs Now…’. The artwork was partly inspired by Native American Hopi characters; and this version of the painting features the Hopi man without the PiL Logo on his genitals that John added to the album artwork.
I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right – John Lydon
Original artwork from the cover of John Lydon’s 2020 book ‘I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right’. The artwork depicts street scenes from John’s native London. Inspired by his childhood and featuring cars that his father might have worked on. Streets ablaze during The Blitz from stories told to him and characters whom John remembered.
Hawaii – John Lydon
Original artwork from the 2023 PiL single ‘Hawaii’ which is a personal yet universal tribute to John’s now late wife Nora Forster that will resonate with many. The artwork painted before her sad passing depicts the couple in an ocean beachside setting inspired from their holiday in Hawaii.
End Of World – John Lydon
Original artwork from the 2023 PiL studio album ‘End of World’. It’s not the end of the world. It’s end of world. The Knight-errant is literally standing on the end of the world. The artwork also contains many hidden treasures. The more you look the more you see…
