Project Description
First produced in 2008, Louis Sidoli’s ‘Most Wanted” series of artworks, based on police mugshots of famous icons, went on to become a best selling international published print edition, owned by several thousand collectors worldwide.
The main inspiration for “Most Wanted” came from a series of early silkscreen portraits made by Andy Warhol: In 1964 he was commissioned to produce a large mural to decorate the facade of the New York State Pavillion at the 1964 New York World Fair. For the project, Warhol used the mugshot photographs of thirteen men wanted by the NYPD featured in a brochure called ‘Thirteen Most Wanted’. However, there were objections to the mural from a New York governor who thought it would be insulting to his Italian constituents, because most of the men in the mugshots happened to be Italian mafia hoods. Warhol had to replace or remove the mural before the fair opened. Warhol insisted that the images were covered with silver paint, so that the memory of the censorship should remain.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary, Louis has produced a brand new series of fine art prints using re-mastered images. The collection includes some previously unseen mugshots with new colours and print designs. These archival quality prints are available in small ‘boutique’ editions of 20 to ensure exclusivity and are printed on high quality 310gsm Hahnemühle matt textured fine art paper. Each print is signed and numbered on the front by Louis Sidoli.
A selection of ‘Most Wanted’ prints framed and on display at the gallery
Johnny Cash 1966 Mugshot Collection
This previously unseen mugshot of Johnny Cash was taken at Folsom Prison in 1966, the first time he performed there, apparently as a joke with the guards.
Elvis Presley GI Mugshot Collection
By 1956 Elvis was already a global superstar, but like all fit, young, American men at that time he was required to do National Service. This mug-shot was taken shortly before he received his first army haircut as he started his active duty on 24th March 1958. Although he was offered the chance to enlist in special services to entertain troops, he chose to serve as a regular soldier, which earned him respect in the public eye. He was stationed overseas in Germany until he left active duty on 5th March 1960. It was here he met Priscilla Beaulieu, the stepdaughter of an air force captain who he later married.
Elvis Presley 1970 Mugshot Collection
This previously unseen mugshot was taken at the Sheriff’s Department in Shelby County, on October 10, 1970 for a new police badge for Elvis’ police badge collection. (Elvis started collecting police badges in 1956. He received his very first police badge from Sergeant Fred Woodward of the Memphis PD. on September 29, 1956.)
David Bowie 1976 Mugshot Collection
Bowie was arrested on March 21, 1976, after a performance in Rochester, New York. About half a pound of marijuana was confiscated by the police. Bowie was held with three others — including musician Iggy Pop, for three hours and then released on $2,000 bond. Bowie later pleaded not guilty and a grand jury decided to pass on the case.
Frank Sinatra 1938 Mugshot Collection
Frank Sinatra was arrested by the Bergen County, New Jersey sheriff in 1938. A 23-year-old Sinatra was officially arrested and booked for ‘Seduction’. The charge was eventually dropped when it was discovered that the supposedly single woman was in fact married. Later that year, armed with this new information, the original charge was revised slightly, and Sinatra was again arrested – this time for Adultery! A bond was set for Sinatra, which he promptly paid, and he was released. The Adultery charge was later dropped and in total, he spent only a few hours in jail as a result of the situation.
Jimi Hendrix 1969 Mugshot Collection
Jimi Hendrix was arrested at Toronto International Airport airport in May 1969 after customs inspectors found heroin and hashish in his luggage. Hendrix, who claimed the drugs were slipped into his bag by a fan without his knowledge, was later acquitted of the charges.
Biography
Louis Sidoli is one of the UK’s most popular commercial artists, best known for his mugshot and neon artworks. His work has been the subject of over 50 solo and group exhibitions throughout the UK & USA and is owned by collectors worldwide, including many high profile personalities such as Liam Gallagher of Oasis, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Neville and Henry Holland to name a few. Sidoli’s portfolio of innovative work has also attracted the support of some of the world’s most renowned brands such as Aston Martin as well as creative collaborations with the likes of legendary photographer Terry O’Neill.
Louis Sidoli comes from an artistic Anglo Italian family and displayed an aptitude for art at an early age. However, rather than taking the traditional art school route, he carved out a successful career in the car industry for over 15 years. In the early 2000’s, he took a huge risk and decided to leave the corporate world behind to explore his artistic side. However, his experience in the automotive industry was in fact to become the building block for his artistic future. His affinity for premium materials, engineering and craftsmanship in his original artworks is a result of his product design background and differentiates him from most other artists. Sidoli draws on this experience of industrial manufacturing techniques to fine tune each step of the process in his work, by customising every single detail, from the level of polishing applied to aluminium surfaces to the colour of a power plug on his neon works.
Sidoli grew up absorbing the music, album cover artwork and music videos of the 1970’s and 80’s which along with an enduring fascination with Andy Warhol, has had a powerful impact on his work. Warhol’s silkscreens, with high contrast monochrome images at the core of his artistic practice, remain one of his key influences. Like Warhol, he references popular culture to create artworks that are iconic and accessible. Yet they are also artistically credible, with fascinating stories and symbolism behind them. He has achieved considerable acclaim since his late arrival on the art scene. His ‘Most Wanted” series of artworks in 2008, based on police mugshots of the famous and infamous became a best selling published print edition.