Complete List of Solo Exhibitions

2014

“Dark Incandescence,” Gladstone Gallery, Brussels
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Neugerriemschneider, Berlin

2013

"Elizabeth Peyton: Here She Comes Now," Kunsthalle Baden Baden, Baden Baden, Germany
"Klara 13 Pictures," Michael Werner Gallery, New York
"Elizabeth Peyton," Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York

2012

"Secret Life," Sadie Coles, London
"Elizabeth Peyton," Regen Projects, Los Angeles

2011

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Opelvillen Russelsheim Zentrum Fur Kunst, Russelsheim, Germany
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gagosian, Paris
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Metropolitan Opera, New York
“Ghost,” Opelvillen Rüsselsheim Zentrum Für Kunst, Rüsselsheim, Germany [travdled to: Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University, St. Louis, Washington]
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University in St.  Louis, St. Louis, Missouri

2010

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Nuegerriemschneider, Berlin

2009

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gladstone Gallery, Brussels
“Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton,” Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, The Netherlands
“Blood of Two: Matthew Barney and Elizabeth Peyton,” Slaughterhouse, DESTE Foundation Project Space, Hydra, Greece
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Sadie Coles HQ, London
“Elizabeth Peyton: Reading & Writing,” Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin

2008

"Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton," New Museum, New York [traveled to: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Whitechapel, London; Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, Netherlands]
“Elizabeth Peyton: Portrait of an Artist,” Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, Connecticut
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown's Enterprise, New York

2007

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Regen Projects, Los Angeles

2006

“Elizabeth Peyton: Paintings 1994-2002.” Gavin Brown’s enterprise
“Elizabeth Peyton: Prints 1998-2006,” Guild Hall, Easthampton
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
“Elizabeth Peyton: 1994-2006, A Special Exhibition,” New York

2005

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Glenn Horowitz Bookseller, East Hampton, New York
"Elizabeth Peyton,” Sadie Coles HQ, London

2004

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York, NY

2003

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Regen Projects, Los Angeles
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Elizabeth Peyton and Tony Just, New Works on Paper, Orient Historical Society, Orient, New York
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Roma Roma Roma, Rome

2002

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Royal Academy, London
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Salzburger Kunstverein, Salzburg, Austria

2001

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany

2000

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Westfalischer Kunstverein, Munster, Germany
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, Colorado
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Sadie Coles HQ, London
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York

1999

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Regen Projects, Los Angeles
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Museum of Contemporary Art, Castello di Rivoli, Torino, Italy 
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown's Enterprise, New York

1998

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Georg Kargl, Vienna
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Galleria Il Capricorno, Venice, Italy
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany [travelled to:
Museum fur Gegenwartskunst, Basel, Switzerland]
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Seattle Art Museum, Seattle
"Elizabeth Peyton,” Sadie Coles HQ, London

1997

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gallery Side 2, Tokyo
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Galerie Daniel Buchholz, Cologne, Germany
“Elizabeth Peyton,” St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown's Enterprise, New York
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Regen Projects, Los Angeles

1996

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Galleria Il Capricorno, Venice, Italy
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Neugerriemschneider, Berlin

1995

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Cabinet Gallery at The Prince Albert, London
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Burkhard Riemschneider, Cologne, Germany
“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York

1993

“Elizabeth Peyton,” Gavin Brown’s enterprise at Hotel Chelsea, Room 828, New York

Elizabeth Peyton Live Forever

"Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton" at the New Museum is the first survey of American artist Elizabeth Peyton's work in an American institution. It includes more than 100 works made over the past fifteen years. The exhibition presents works from the earliest portraits of musicians like Kurt Cobain, Liam Gallagher, and Jarvis Cocker to more recent paintings featuring friends and figures from the worlds of art, fashion, cinema, and politics like Rirkrit Tiravanija, Matthew Barney, and Marc Jacobs.

Materials and Techniques

Throughout her career, Peyton utilized a variety of different mediums, tools and techniques. Despite her colorful oil and watercolor based painting being the most well known of her work, she initially started her career with charcoal and ink drawings. However, it is when she began using oils, watercolor and glazes that she explores and develops a strong color palette, something she would be well recognized for.

Piotr 1996 Oil on canvas 96.5 x 218.4 cm    38 x 86"

Gavin On Bed 1996 Watercolour on paper 30.5 x 40.6 cm

Sid Vicious Arrested, Chelsea Hotel 1998 Oil on canvas 101.5 x 76 cm

Various charcoal and ink drawings, (Peyton, 1996)


Another technique she tried was etching with aquatint


Elizabeth Peyton, Em, 2002. Etching with aquatint, edition of 30, 21-½ x 15-1/2” (image). Courtesy of Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York

Influences and Similar Artists

Often thought to have a heavy hand in Peyton's work, she acknowledged Andy Warhol's influence and contributions to the genre they were apart of. Other artists she is frequently associated with are David Hockney, Alex Katz, Georgia O'Keeffe and Robert Mapplethorpe.

Top "Marilyn" (Andy Warhol, 1967) Bottom "Liam Gallagher" (Elizabeth Peyton, 1996)

Despite a seemingly close connection between Warhol and Peyton's work, both including celebrities within pop culture and a similar usage of pop colors, Warhol is noted to have a more commercial look and feel to his portraits with an emphasis on elevating the celebrities status and image. Peyton's portraits on the other hand are motivated by whomever Peyton takes an interest in at the time, thus making her work more casual and personalized.

"After Robert Mapplethorpe's Self Portrait with Leather Jacket 1980" (Peyton, 2006)

Powis Terrace Bedroom (Peyton and Hockney, 1998)

Early Exhibitions

"Princess Elizabeth" (Peyton, 1993)

One of Peyton's first solo exhibitions took place at the Chelsea Hotel (1993).

"Napoleon" (1993, Peyton)

There she had her own room and mostly featured charcoal and ink drawings of Napoleon, Marie Antoinette and Queen Elizabeth II. Guests would go to the reception and ask for the key to the room showcasing her work. Despite less than 50 people showing up, her work was generally well received by critics. Art critic, Roberta Smith quoted, "I remember the show. It felt stilted and old-fashioned and got on my nerves. But within a year Ms. Peyton had taken up more contemporary, if equally romantic, subjects and her preoccupations began to come into focus."

The next couple of exhibitions gave Peyton the opportunity to become recognized internationally. Starting at the New York Museum of Contemporary Art she toured to the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Whitechapel Gallery, London; and Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht. 

"Max" (Peyton, 1996) 

"Blue Liam"

"Gavin on Bed" (Peyton, 1996)

Elizabeth Peyton and Portraiture

Elizabeth Joy Peyton (1965) is an American contemporary artist who became popular during the mid 90's. Known for a signature usage of oil paints, washed glazes and watercolor, her portraits often portray friends, celebrities, royalty and past lovers. In addition, figures are characterized with long, slender androgynous features or have sexually ambiguous feminine qualities.

Born in Danbury, Connecticut, Peyton's artistic journey began as a child when she took an interest to drawing people and figures. Interestingly, she was born with only 2 fingers on her right hand so she taught herself to draw using her left and even as a child, she confessed to have always been influenced by celebrities and pop culture surrounding them.
                  

  Left "Jarvis and Liam Smoking" (1997) Right "Tokyo" (1997)

                          

Portrait of Kurt Cobain (1995)

                                                 
She would later study fine arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1987. Despite her later popularity, she struggled for many years after her graduation and worked as an assistant to another artist just to make ends meet. It wouldn't be until another 6 years that Peyton career would take off in the early 90's along with John Currin and Lisa Yuskavage. Paying close attention to pop culture at the time, her portraits of celebrities were well received by several critics. She helped pioneer an outlandish, illustrative and painterly style that would later popularize and become a crowded genre and be recognized as one of the painters that brought figurative art within the fashion industry.  

"Portrait of Kanye West" (2010-2011)  

    "Never Say Never" (Justin Bieber, 2013)