It can’t have escaped your notice that Illuminati Queens – hand-embellished portraits of Queen Elizabeth by London-based artist, Illuminati Neon – have been taking the art world by storm. Illuminati Neon (real name, Mark Sloper) first captivated the art world with his neon artworks several years ago. Hand-blown in his studio in Shepherd’s Bush and often building on vintage memorabilia and song lyrics, Illuminati Neon’s beautiful, eye-catching and punk-inspired neon works were showcased at the prestigious START Art Fair in 2019 and continue to grow in popularity. Then the Illuminati Queen arrived on the scene and, once more, Illuminati Neon had set ablaze another craze in the art world.
What are Illuminati Queens?
Hand-painted in oils and acrylics, and embellished with gemstones, the Illuminati Queen artworks continue to be on trend and grow in popularity with every passing week. Indeed, it might have started when the late Queen Elizabeth herself voiced her approval of the work in 2020, to much press delight and coverage. She was reported to have found the ‘Philip’ tattoo on her shoulder hilarious, but graciously suggested that Mark might change it to the Royal Crest. Mark, of course, dutifully obliged.
Why are Illuminati Queens so popular?
So, what makes these Illuminati Queens so popular? Why are they taking the art world by storm and why is everyone rushing to buy one? Here are some thoughts we have compiled on this. They might help you to decide if you want to join the craze too!
- Unique and Eye-Catching: Illuminati Queens are bright, colourful, and attention-grabbing, making them a unique addition to any space.
- Representation: Within a punk and edgy backdrop, the pieces celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s majesty, beauty and strength. They perfectly encapsulate the global admiration for her incredible reign as Britain’s longest ever serving monarch.
- Social Media: Illuminati Queens have been widely shared across social media and continue to have that rare shareable, likeable and viral quality.
- Press Coverage: As we known, art crazes tend to snowball once they hit a critical mass. From there, they continue to snowball as press coverage and awareness grows.
- Pulling Together Punks and Royalists: These wonderful works of art are collected by those in both the punk and royalist camps! Collectors from both sides get the humour, fun and irony these works express. They are a symbol of a generation and time in history that many people can relate to.
- Celebrity Endorsement: Well, “endorsement” suggests that it was a paid promotion. In reality, Illuminati’s art is hanging on Sir Elton John’s wall, Sting’s wall, Boy George’s wall, John McEnroe’s wall, and even the wall of the Royal Household, because they’re simply that good!
- Trend: Illuminati Queens perfectly capture a trend and a moment in time. They perhaps represent strength and direction during these turbulent times in Britain, when not only has Britain’s identity crisis come under the spotlight, but its central bastion and guiding light – the late Queen – has been conscribed to legendary status in history books.
- Popularity of Illuminati himself: Often expressing his punk roots, as well as speaking to the attitude, articulation and cultural dynamism of rock music, Illuminati’s art takes vintage objects and concepts and give them an incredible light and new life. Indeed, Illuminati is the light in the darkness.
Overall, Illuminati Neon's Queens combines art, ingenuity, representation, social media, press and celebrity excitement and current trends in a way that resonates with many people, which makes it an instantly recognisable and immensely popular artwork. The rich and famous continue to sweep them up, if they can get their hands on them!
See our unique Illuminati Queens, here at Vandal, here: