Australia's The Daily Telegraph reports that Melbourne artist Vincent Fantauzzo put the finishing touches on his painting of Heath Ledger at his Docklands studio the day before the star was found dead in his NY apartment.
Ledger sat for Fantauzzo on his last visit home to Perth, Australia in December. Fantauzzo painted Ledger with the intention of entering the portrait in the prestigious Archibald Prize later this year. But the newly finished work got an early showing, when, with the approval of the Ledger family, Fantauzzo released the image to the media. The painting depicts the notoriously private actor as three separate images. The central, and largest, image is of Ledger, bare-chested, looking straight ahead, appearing pained and exhausted. The two background images are of Ledger wearing humorous expressions, whispering into the ears of his foreground image.
Heath Ledger's Final Portrait
Vincent Fantauzzo's Painting
Trend Themes
1. Artistic Homage - The trend of artists paying tribute to notable figures through portraits or sculptures present an opportunity for disruptive innovation in creative expression.
2. Celebrity Legacy Preservation - The trend of preserving the memory and work of celebrities who have passed presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in digital art preservation and interactive experiences.
3. Posthumous Exhibit - The trend of posthumous exhibiting of artwork by notable figures presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of virtual art exhibitions and tour experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Fine Arts - Fine arts industry can leverage disruptive innovation in digital art preservation and interactive experiences to improve legacy preservation for notable figures who have passed.
2. Entertainment - Entertainment industry stakeholders should develop and promote innovative platforms and channels that provide virtual art exhibitions and tour experiences to a growing audience.
3. Media - Media industry professionals should leverage current trends in the art world to create new and innovative ways of telling the stories of notable figures through multimedia art appreciation experiences.