Al Pacino Original Oil Portrait Painting

American ICON Awards

American Icon Awards – honoring Excellence in Leadership in the Business, Entertainment and Sports Industries – is a philanthropic organization established in 2014. Its annual gala has quickly become one of the celebrated events of the award season, attracting an international media audience. Tatyana was commissioned to paint portraits of the 2019 nominees – Al Pacino, Evander Holyfield, Robert DeNiro and Quincy Jones.

Academy Award winner, actor and director Al Pacino is a unique and enduring figure in the world of American stage and film. A long and rich film career has followed with over 45 titles including Scarface, Sea of Love, The Insider, Donnie Brasco, Heat and Any Given Sunday.

About the Painting

Tony Montana, the main protagonist of the 1983 film Scarface, has become a famous cultural icon. Painted to honor Al Pacino, nominated by the American ICON Awards in 2019 for his contribution to the entertainment industry. In this portrait, the actor’s face is confident and imposing, standing 3 feet high, it captures Pacino’s most memorable performance. In the background, Tiger and other dangers are lurking the the luxurious Scarface mansion. Rich green marble pillars flank the scene of Elvira and Tony, caching a glimpse of couple’s illusionary happiness.  Beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira is wearing a red gown as she sits in a lavish chair, with Tony wearing a tuxedo standing proudly behind her. Al Pacino, whose grandparents came from Sicily, said, “I’m all Italian. You get your full dose with me.” Artist has implemented interesting details to honor actor’s incestrial roots. Note the ancient flag of Sicily, dating back to 1282 depicting triskelion and the head of Medusa. The red tapestry design was inspired by Italian silk damask from the 1500s.

This large-scale 4 x 5 foot oil painting features interplay of reds and greens, diffusing the violent nature of the crime drama character. Tony’s gaze is surprisingly nonchalant and contemplative, however, intense and easily triggered. Tatyana’s creative process is fluid and intuitive, allowing the painting to develop without a rigid plan and this portrait was altered three times. She was fortunate to learn directly from the Old Masters by making replicas at the National Gallery of Art. She has developed a glazing technique, that gives her oil paintings luminosity and depth of color. Rich embellishments with genuine diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and gold leaf, make this conversation piece suited for sophisticated art collectors.

Art for Charity

The American Icon Awards fosters three major support initiatives: joint efforts with children’s hospitals and to assist inner-city education. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and Autism Movement Therapy are two of American Icon’s partner charities. Al Pacino Portrait is to be signed by the star himself and auctioned off for the benefit of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the American ICONS Awards ceremony.  See Tatyana’s Art for Charity collection.

 

Progress Studio Photos

About Al Pacino

“To have my career saluted at the American Icon Awards next year is an exceptional honor. I am grateful to AIA for this recognition. To me, the most wonderful part of all is it’s a benefit for The St. Jude’s Foundation, which throughout the years has had a profound effect on all of us as both a philanthropic and sustaining symbol of hope. Because of St Jude, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.”
– Al Pacino

Academy Award winner, actor and director Al Pacino is a unique and enduring figure in the world of American stage and film. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on The Godfather and within the next 6 years he received another four Academy Award nominations for the films Serpico, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon and …And Justice For All. A long and rich film career has followed with over 45 titles including Scarface, Sea of Love, The Insider, Donnie Brasco, Heat and Any Given Sunday. In 2013 he won Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for the title role in David Mamet’s film Phil Spector.  He has been awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement in Motion Pictures, the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award and in 2011 he received the National Merit of Arts from President Obama.

About the Artist

Tatyana Zen is a Russian-American visual artist, best known for her Celebrity Portraits. Classically trained, she has established herself as a contemporary portrait painter inspired by the Old Masters. Tatyana’s Imaginative Realism oil paintings fuse Pop Culture with Modern Spirituality rendering familiar subjects in a new provocative light. Using color, dramatic light, precious gemstones and exquisite glazing technique, her larger-than-life portraits dazzle and excite! Read About Tatyana Zen