Prince: Purple Tear

VEX, “Prince: Purple Tear” (2020) Original artwork in homage to the deceased Pop Music legend. Molotow Belton Premium spray has been hand-painted onto hardboard using a stencil, with signature and date in the lower right, and encased in a thin wooden frame; all done by the artist. The dimensions are 70 x 50 x 1.8 cm (approx. 28 x 20 inches.) This is the purple version; there are also editions in orange and gold. On the verso, the work is signed, titled, and dated by the artist. A special spoof dollar note (handwritten by the artist) is included as a certificate of authenticity. Vex originally created the hand-cut stencil with tears on his cheek following Prince’s death in 2016.

Netherlands urban artist, Vex, creates his work in Amsterdam. He designs and cuts his own stencils, and although the stencil can be used repeatedly, the spray paint on the handmade pieces varies so that each is a unique work of art. Other crying images by Vex include George Michael, Bob Marley, and Darth Vader.