Bob Dylan

Johnny Depp's good friend Bob Dylan is also a huge inspiration for the artist who pays tribute to him as giant of contemporary culture here. He also said: "Let’s salute the reluctant prophet Bob Dylan and the dream of change he inspired then, now and onwards…… His impact is that of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Marlon Brando, Woody Guthrie, William Blake, Picasso, Bach and Mozart.”

The immense admiration and incredible friendship shared is felt here in this striking limited edition artwork where the artist has chosen to reference an image that shows Bob Dylan in his prime. He’s handsome and heroic, at the height of his powers, but he also has his head bowed, with his eyes and ears open to the issues of humanity. It is this heartfelt portrayal of a cultural icon that characterises Johnny Depp's collection Friends & Heroes.

Johnny’s debut collection Friends & Heroes sees him focus on people he has known well, and who have inspired him as a person. Each image is an intimate reflection of their character in Johnny's eyes; a portrayal of how they have revealed themselves to him. Working from photographic references, each image has been stripped back to a simpler and iconic portrayal of the subject, which Johnny has then developed and energised with his characteristic freehand flourishes. You can view the full portfolio of portraits here or learn more about the artist on our blog.

In addition to being hand-signed by the artist, this limited edition artwork is embossed with Johnny Depp's iconic Bunnyman logo. Bunnyman was inspired by Johnny’s son Jack who, when he was five years old, woke from an apparent nightmare featuring the character, but was comforted by his father’s explanation. His explanation described Bunnyman as a friendly warrior between the doorway of reality and imagination. Johnny later realised the iconic figure on a large canvas and it has since come to symbolise both him and his work. Bunnyman is now being registered as a global trademark and along with Johnny’s initials, it represents an additional guarantee of authenticity beyond his handwritten signature.

Photographic reference- Aaron Rapport.

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