Glenn Brown, CBE hosts unique fundraising event for the Contemporary Art Society, raising over £130,000 at the inaugural event at the new Brown Collection

Internationally renowned artist Glenn Brown hosted an elegant and beautiful fundraising evening at his new museum space in Marylebone; the Brown Collection, with a starry committee and guest list including:

Ivor Braka, Nicola & Julian Blake, Marco Compagnoni, Chair of CAS Trustees, Julius Gaudio, Johannes Huth of KKR, Eva Langret, Artistic Director of Frieze London, the Lord & Lady Lupton, Francis Outred, Tim Pirrie-Franks of KKR, Lady Ritblat, OBE, Annabelle & Jeremy Scholar, Dasha Shenkman, OBE and Cathy Wills. All proceeds from this event directly benefit our charitable mission supporting museums across the UK by donating great works of art.

The Brown Collection will open to the public by appointment Summer 2022.

Glenn has been converting a mews house in Marylebone for the best part of six years having bought the building days before the Brexit announcement. The space is intended to showcase Glenn’s work, with some dating as early as 1991 through to work created during lockdown. A special series of unique hand-coloured etchings Don’t Set Sail 2022 has been made for the Contemporary Art Society. Don’t Set Sail is a palimpsest of images and takes inspiration from Rubens’ drawings after Michelangelo’s paintings for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The menu for the evening was created by up-and-coming chef Blo Deady.

Previous Artist’s Tables have been hosted by artists including Edmund de Waal, Antony Gormley, Isaac Julian, Michael Landy & Gillian Wearing, Haroon Mirza, Grayson Perry, Tai Shani, Conrad Shawcross, Do Ho Suh and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.

The Contemporary Art Society has acquired his work for the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, firstly in 2005 and then in 2016 through the Great Works scheme.

Glenn Brown, CBE, (born 1966) is a British artist. He is known for the use of art historical references in his paintings. Starting with reproductions from other artists’ work, Brown transforms the appropriated image by changing its colour, position and size. His grotesque yet fascinating figures appear to be painted with thick impasto, but are actually executed through the application of thin, swirling brushstrokes which create the illusion of almost photographically flat surfaces. The effect is powerful – often unsettling – creating an artistic language that transcends time and pictorial conventions. Brown sees these appropriations and oppositions as key to his approach. He is currently represented by Gagosian.