Johnny Depp’s paintings, sculptures go on display in London exhibition. From haunting skulls to subconscious nightmares, here's what inspires his art. ‘Almost everything you do is a self-portrait’

Johnny Depp has unleashed his artistic side. Not many are aware that beyond films, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor is also a passionate artist who loves to draw, sketch, paint, and even build sculptures. Depp’s original artworks are now displayed at Halcyon Gallery in London, which is hosting its first major exhibition in the UK. Depp is especially drawn towards portraits as the actor believes that everything an individual does is a form of self-portrait. He even shared the inspiration behind his whimsical illustrations.

Johnny Depp’s paintings and tribute to daughter

Much like several artists, Johnny Depp puts his thoughts and emotions onto paper. The 63-year-old revealed that, according to him, the entire painting process is similar to making a film. ‘In time, it starts to tell you what it wants to be and then shows you who it wants to be,’ he said, in a statement shared by the gallery.

Johnny Depp’s art boasts colourful flower paintings, darker paintings with ghostly figures, and mixed-media portraits of himself as well as others, as per a report by My Modern Met. Depp experimented with diverse colour palettes, multiple mediums, and visual structures. A few of them offer a subtle glimpse into his family too. For example, Depp’s Yesterday’s Flowers series is a tribute to his daughter Lily-Rose Depp.

Decoding Johnny Depp’s paintings

Other paintings do not have a particular identity. They primarily serve as a peek into Depp’s feelings, dreams, and subconscious. There are gothic motifs exploring themes of memory, belonging, and mortality. Depp admitted that these creations took shape from his personal experiences of navigating through difficult emotions.

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Depp explained that skull illustrations were a reminder to live life to the fullest and focus on the present, as life is too short and flies away quickly. It also serves as a powerful lesson that the steady flow of luxuries can end abruptly one day. ‘So it’s a reminder to be level about things; understand what’s important, he said.

Johnny Depp’s The Bunnyman sculpture

Depp believes that drawing is a reflection of an individual’s subconscious. While one may be initially unaware of the deeper meaning of a nightmarish painting, but as you dig deeper into the work, you slowly understand why you needed to put the scary piece of art on paper.

One special sculpture by Depp is titled The Bunnyman, featuring a ‘half-human, half-rabbit guardian carrying a ‘sword of truth’, reported Deadline. Interestingly, the actor’s son, Jack, drew it when he was 5, and it reminded Depp of his own childhood dream. Now, he conceptualised it in his sculpture.

The exhibition will conclude on November 15.