In 1971, Bob Dylan sang the classic track, “When I Paint My Masterpiece.” Fifty-four years later, the multitalented artist will be hoping he has achieved that end with his captivating new exhibition of paintings entitled Point Blank at the Halcyon Gallery in London.
Bob Dylan has long since established himself as one of the most important musicians of the last century, selling 125 million albums and picking up 10 Grammys. He has also been lauded for his writing, having won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. In addition, he is celebrated in a well-regarded, Oscar-nominated biopic, A Complete Unknown.
But now, Bob Dylan has added a completely new string to his guitar by becoming an acclaimed painter. In so doing, he has proved himself a master of many different artistic trades.
From the left: Bob Dylan, Young Man with a Horn, 2021-22; Zurich (Strange Weather), 2022-24; Flower Power, 2022-24.
Point Blank highlights the artist’s natural gift as a storyteller. It features 97 original works on paper portraying cityscapes, figures playing instruments, couples, and sportsmen and women.
Bob Dylan has created what he calls, “Living, breathing entities that have emotional resonance, colours used as weapons and mood setters, a means of storytelling. The idea was not only to observe the human condition, but to throw myself into it with great urgency.”
Some of the works have been refashioned as blue, red and neutral monochromatic studies, alluding to Pablo Picasso’s early Blue Period.
Kate Brown, creative director at the Halcyon, observes: “These works on paper feel like memories, intangible windows into the life and imagination of one of the greatest storytellers who ever lived.
Bob Dylan paints couples frequently, often in scenes reminiscent of a small-town America from the mid-20th century, reflecting his own personal experiences and a sense of nostalgic Americana.
“People who attend the exhibition will discover that they provoke stories from our imagination. We consider the circumstances of the protagonists and ponder our movement through the spaces that the artist depicts.”
According to the artist, his artwork is a way to “relax and refocus a restless mind” amid his relentless touring schedule. He clearly finds the process therapeutic. While painting, he continues, “I’d lose track of time completely. An hour or two could go by and it would seem like only a minute. Not that I thought that I was any great drawer, but I did feel like I was putting an orderliness to the chaos around.”
To those critics who contend that Bob Dylan should stay in his lane, I would respond that his paintings are suffused with emotion and surprisingly strong.
The reviewer Jonathan Jones agrees, arguing that: “A real artist made these drawings and paintings. Their integrity is compelling. They demand to be looked at, for their awe and wonder at the beauty and grandeur of being alive. These are the pictures of a true poet.”
This striking exhibition should ensure that as a painter, Bob Dylan is no longer a complete unknown.
Author: James Rampton
Bob Dylan: Point Blank
The Halcyon Gallery, 148 New Bond St, London, W1S 2TRTo 6th July 2025
More information and opening times, HERE.
Lead image: Portrait of Bob Dylan. All images courtesy of Halcyon Gallery.
Other unmissable exhibitions to check out this season: David Hockney 25, Turner: In Light and Shade, and Stephen Cox: Myth.
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