Cupcake Katy

Object Details

Artist

Will Cotton, born 1965

Sitter

Katy Perry, born 25 Oct 1984

Exhibition Label

Pop star Katy Perry (born Katheryn Hudson, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California) collaborated with painter Will Cotton to design a set inspired by the board game Candy Land. Cotton’s work, which draws on art historical sources to explore consumer culture, caught Perry’s eye. The artist felt an affinity for Perry as well, describing her as just the kind of subject he wanted to paint: “She’s over-the-top, she’s very sugary, saccharine.” Here, Cotton presents her in a dress by designer Cynthia Rowley. Perry’s cheeky pose, wry expression, and flawless appearance playfully hint at the paradoxes she bridges. Crafty and self-aware, she acknowledges that “everything I do is always with a wink.” The provocative teenage icon, chart-topping singer, and savvy businesswoman began her career singing gospel music as the daughter of Pentecostal pastors. With Teenage Dream (2010), she was the first to tie Michael Jackson’s record of producing five number-one hits from a single album.

La estrella pop Katy Perry (nacida Katheryn Hudson, 1984, en Santa Bárbara, California) colaboró con el pintor Will Cotton en la escenografía de su video “California Gurls”, inspirada en el juego de mesa Candy Land. A Perry le gustó el trabajo de Cotton, quien se inspira en la historia del arte para explorar la cultura del consumo. A su vez, el artista sintió afinidad con Perry, a quien describió como el tipo exacto de persona que desearía pintar: “Es exagerada, azucarada, acaramelada”. Aquí la presenta con un vestido de la diseñadora Cynthia Rowley. La pose jocosa, la expresión burlona y el arreglo impecable apuntan con humor a las paradojas que navega la cantante. Astuta y segura de sí, Perry reconoce que “todo lo hago siempre con un guiño”. La icónica cantante, líder de las listas de éxitos y empresaria sagaz comenzó su carrera en la música religiosa, siendo hija de pastores pentecostales. Con Teenage Dream (2010), fue la primera artista que empató el record de Michael Jackson al lograr cinco éxitos “número uno” con un mismo disco.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the James F. Dicke Family

2010

Object number

C/NPG.2015.135

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© 2010, Will Cotton

Type

Painting

Medium

Oil on linen

Dimensions

Frame: 168.3 × 102.6 × 5.7cm (66 1/4 × 40 3/8 × 2 1/4")

Stretcher: 165.1 × 99.1cm (65 × 39")

Place

United States\New York\Kings\New York\Manhattan Island

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Alternate Title

Katy Perry

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Allegorical

Katy Perry: Female

Katy Perry: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Pop singer

Portrait

Record ID

npg_C_NPG.2015.135

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm40fad2707-9bbf-45be-8d4c-22fdb9b60241