Craig Alan

(b. 1971)

Craig Alan’s art is famous for his take on iconic people, objects and portraits of famous people. What makes his work so different? Well, on closer examination, each image is constructed by hundreds of delicate and small individually painted people going about their business. Each figure is unique and these individuals group together in the painting forming shapes and eventually they combine to create a greater whole. The finished painting in front of the viewer. In this case, Marilyn Monroe. Each figure is imperative to the work. Look at the small figure sat cross-legged on its own. Without this seemingly separate individual there wouldn’t be Marilyn’s trademark beauty spot and the shape the sat down figure makes is perfect for its end result.

Craig Alan himself says, “If there’s anything I want people to take away from my paintings, it’s that you’re not as big as you think you are, because the universe is a really big place, and we need to work together to accomplish larger goals. We can’t think that the individual is more important than the whole.”