Industrial Pop Icon Artist Al Gord was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, which is where he continues to reside and create today. Even from a young age, Al enjoyed creating. Whether it was drawing pictures of various fantasy creatures or experimenting with different media on canvas, he was always immersed in the arts; however, he never found a style to call his own. After a long hiatus from art, he began painting, as a way to decompress from an intense career, and re-discovered his love of art. As his passion grew so did his voice as an artist, leading to the focus of his work today.
His signature style is quite recognizable, although he is always experimenting with the composition of his painting backgrounds. Al combines a variety of techniques that in theory should not work together when creating his pieces. There are elements of abstract, portraiture, pop art, street art, graffiti, and expressionism in his works. The intention behind his work is to create a balance that brings out the rawness and energy of his subjects, juxtaposed with a sense of harmony and calm. Rather than create the “traditional portrait”, Al captures a moment in time of the icon he is painting.
While the majority of his works focus on rock stars, his art is not limited to musicians of that genre. He also paints other well-known figures who he believes has that rock star energy or persona, as well as more sensual and edgy works that connect to the rock music industry. For Al, it is important that he create more than just a famous image. Each of his paintings tell a story, be it the history of a song, a moment in the icon’s life or the backstory of the individual who he has painted. He wants each work to have deep meaning and lasting impact – both from a visual standpoint and from a narrative and emotional connection perspective.
Al wants to strip away the layers that the media has created for the larger-than-life icons he paints. The backstory and inspiration for his work often covers issues of struggle, mental health, and addiction, as he wants the viewer to see the whole person and realize that they are not immune to the same issues and struggles we all face. That is the reason why he feels that as an artist it is important to raise awareness of important societal issues and help others. As such, he has been involved in charity art shows worldwide and he has been involved with a few national Canadian organizations, where he has donated pieces for their annual fundraisers.
Aside from being in exhibits in Canada and Europe, his works hang in private collections in Canada, the United States and Europe. His work is catching the attention of the art world, with him featured in art magazines in both “Glamour” out of the United States and “Niji” from the United Kingdom. Not one to enjoy the status quo, Al enjoys new challenges. As such, he is in the early stages of doing collaborations with other artists as well as a few other new projects that are on the way. With everything that keeps Al busy in the art industry, it will be interesting to see what is next in store for this rock star of the painting world.
Naughty 9ine Fast Facts with Al Gord
I have been creating… chaos and art since I was a kid, but it has only been seven years since I have been
painting seriously.
It takes me around… 15 to 20 hours to complete a piece, I would guess, but it is hard to say for sure, as
sundials are not as accurate as they used to be.
When creating my go to drink is… water, but I never keep the glass in my studio for fear of mixing it up
with the water I use to thin a paint.
My play list when creating includes… the music of the musician I am painting, otherwise it is something
rock.
One famous person I would love to meet for dinner… aside from Deadpool? It would have to be Jimi
Hendrix, as he was a true creative genius and such a humble individual. My start as a rock star portrait
artist began with a painting of Hendrix.
I am currently binge watching… “House of Dragons”.
The last book I read is… “Rogues”, which apropos considering my subject matter for my work.
Outside of the arts, my interests and passions include … tennis, the gym and kicking back and listening
to some classic rock tunes over a scotch.
My go to comfort food is… pizza, a burger, or nachos.
