Brett-Livingstone Strong

Infobox Artist
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name = Brett-Livingstone Strong


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birthdate = 1954
location = Australia
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nationality = Australian
field = Architecture
Sculpture
Painting
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Brett-Livingstone Strong is an Australian born artist (b. 1954) best known for his philanthropic spirit and eccentric nature. He is an architect, sculptor and painter and has been called a modern day Michelangelo because of his work in both mediums (sculpting and painting).

In 1972, he was commissioned to paint the royal invitation for the opening of the Sydney Opera House by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

In 1977, he carved John Wayne’s face in a 116-ton rock that fell onto Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. It sold in 1979 for US$1.1 million to an Arizona company, and currently resides on the grounds of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

Strong created a life size bronze statue of John Lennon, entitled "Imagine". He began work on the sculpture as a tribute to Lennon six months before the celebrated musician’s untimely death in 1980. Originally unveiled in New York City by Andy Warhol, it currently is in the possession of a private collector.

Strong painted portrait of Michael Jackson entitled "The Book" which sold for $2.1 million to a Japanese businessman in 1990, making it the most money every paid to a living artist for the sale of a portrait.

In 1990, Strong also completed work on a Presidential Monument commissioned by former Chief Justice Warren Burger. The monument was to have been dedicated by President George W. Bush and placed on the grounds of the White House. President Bush was not re-elected, however, and the monument is currently being stored in a facility outside of Washington, D.C.Strong created NASA’s "National Space Exploration Monument" for display in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. On July 16, 1994, Vice President Al Gore announced this monument honoring the men and women of the United States Space Program and celebrating the anniversary of man’s landing on the moon. In the late 1990s Strong proposed the "City of Angels Monument" project designed to create a symbol for Los Angeles along the lines of New York’s Statue of Liberty or Paris’ Eiffel Tower. The $4 billion development was to cover convert|122|acre|km2 in downtown Los Angeles with the central focus being a convert|750|ft|m|sing=on tower as the base for a convert|350|ft|m|sing=on female angel, wings spread, holding a sword of light above her head. Some people criticized the angel as being a symbol of violence, but the artist’s intention was for her to be a symbol of light cutting through the darkness. The project was to have honored the arts and entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Strong had backers who secured loans for some of the land, but didn’t obtain enough donors for the project. Ultimately, an eminent domain action filed by the Los Angeles Unified School District brought an end to the project.

Trivia

* Strong created the cover art for Fleetwood Mac’s "Tango in the Night."Fact|date=July 2008
* Dr. David Livingstone, the famous African explorer, is a family relative.Fact|date=July 2008
* As a young boy, he worked in a stonemason’s yard carving tombstones.Fact|date=July 2008
* His paintings often depict hidden objects like flying saucers and have otherworldly backgrounds. Fact|date=July 2008
* Friends of the artist say he is dedicated to the health and peace of the planet and for creating emotionally rich and socially significant works.Fact|date=July 2008Who|date=July 2008

References

* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1577850386 Overton, Bill (2002). "The Media: Shaping the Image of a People", pp. 279, ISBN 1577850386]
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0745318495 Walker, John A. (2003). "Art and Celebrity", pp. 109, ISBN 0745318495]
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1844494276 Rooksby, Rikky (2004). "Complete Guide to the Music of Fleetwood Mac", pp. 78, ISBN 1844494276]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HMU/is_3_31/ai_114474057 "Dubbed "a modern Michelangelo" by King of Pop Michael Jackson, Brett Livingstone-Strong has developed a following among dozens of celebrities, including Jimmy Stewart and Muhammad Ali"]

External links

* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_20_28/ai_n16440211/pg_2 Great Gifts: LA's Elite]