Francis Bacon 3: Authentic Branding

After Bacon moved back to London in the late 20’s, after roaming around Europe, discovering gay subscultures and modern artists like Picasso, he took a job as an interior decorator.

Apparently he was good at it. But Bacon was good at keeping the details of this aspect of his story a secret. Almost strategically so.

He probably learned some stuff about drawing there, although bacon did not become the best draftsman, he probably learned some skills in design, composition, contrast etc. that helped him become the painter he was. But he never talked about it.

The image we have of Bacon was cultivated by him.

That stuff I talked about in the previous posts about chance and accident, and the gilded gutter life, trapping images so they look like they've just come off the nervous system, etc. is very much a conscious brand of bacon’s construction.

And I don’t think that his interior decorating work didn’t fit in with that story of himself he was trying to portray.

Bacon had a kind of "party line" about his work as Michael Peppiatt called it.

Peppiatt started interviewing Bacon when he was a student in college, they became friends and he became one of Bacon's confidants sort of.

There's a point in the book where Michael has to do a write up about one of Bacon's shows. It's the first time that he gets to see Bacon's work by himself. Without Bacon or any of his loyal friends around.

For the first time, Michael comes up with his own interpretation of the work. He thinks they're all about sex.

He had to have a few drinks to build up the courage to ask bacon if this is what was intended.

But bacon just repeats some of his "greatest hits" about not being able to talk about painting, only around it. That he wants to capture the raw sensation of existence. All that stuff.

He guides Michael back to the party line.

I was reminded of Punk Rock as an analogy for Bacon's branding. Aesthetically they both have a lot in common kind of. Raw energy, visceral. But Punk is very much about branding. It's just a very specific type of branding. It's not a Colgate ad on TV. Same with Bacon.

It's not to say that either thing is inauthentic. Or that it's all fake.

For Bacon, it was authentic. He really was talking about his beliefs, and what he felt he was doing.

He was able to talk about his process of painting and articulate what he was trying to do in a very effective way. Then just double downed on it every chance he got.

Branding isn't about lying or advertising your work. As an artist, you are the brand. So figure out what your work means to you, what your story is to you, and use it.

I wish I was as good at this type of branding as Bacon was. Because often times people aren't just buying a picture. They are buying the story behind the picture.

Bacon was good at having a compelling story behind the picture.

Have fun

Goodnight Sweeties