Francis Bacon - A Tainted Talent (Part 1)

This video contains flashing images, viewer discretion is advised.

This is the story and artwork of Francis Bacon, the famous, Irish-born experimental and figurative painter born in 1909, in Dublin. His paintings were a prominent presence within the art community over many decades following the end of WW2, after exhibiting his tryptic called "Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion", which would stun all that first saw it.

In this first segment of the documentary, we explore where Francis Bacon came from, how he discovered art and, from a certain point of view, where his inspiration for his trademark dark imagery first manifested.

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ARTIST CORNER: Today’s featured artist is Kerry Swift, an outsider painter currently based in Wisconsin, USA. I highly recommend you take a look at her YouTube channel under the name "Silent Lefthand", where you can see more of her art as well as some vlogs relating to her paintings. Also if you search for the name Swiffson Art Gallery in Facebook, you’ll be able to see more of her art there as well some of her husband’s work, which again is some very impressive outsider art.

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Submit your art or say hi:

[jakubwalecki]

Hey, might be a bit off topic, but I've never realised that you make the music that plays in your videos. Just wanted to say it's incredible and beautiful.

[silentlefthand]

Bacon said "if you can talk about it, why paint it?" I find my own paintings to be a way of saying without wanting those around me to hear what i have to say, the those words have always resonated with me. Thank you again for your insight into my paintings and your so interesting videos.

[sippysippy]

Would you ever consider the paintings of Zdzisław Beksiński? His drawings have always had a certain alien quality to them, not to mention his tragic life. Would love to hear your thoughts on them.

[iansvane]

Saw my first bacon painting in real life last week, it was a very very weird feeling standing in front of it. I was very intrigued and couldn’t get my eyes of it, and after I eventually moved on, I had to go back and see it one more time before I left the room

[coffeefoxk]

Francis Bacon. An artist more people need to know about. His impact and story are something that feels like bittersweet and relatable one to someone who suffers from anxiety. I feel able to resonate with how he puts on a face when in reality pain was all he knew.

Don’t you dare feel bad for needing to put this into parts. Please. Your videos are full of beautiful devotion most enjoyable no matter how long. Bring it on. Francis Bacon is an artist you won’t soon forget

- sincerely a fine art student with a love of art history

[jonsey]

Hands down, the best handling of a very difficult celebrity that I have seen. The majority of attempts to chronicle Bacon's life descend into virtual pornography. While the bizarre sexual motivation of his work is inescapable, most historians are satisfied with simply discussing the more sensational events in this complex mans life. You have succeeded in presenting a more rounded biopic with only cursory mention of the former while focusing on the overarching violence and sense of alienation that I feel were the root of his style. Thank you.

[littlelagoons]

Francis Bacon fascinates, inspires, and disturbs me beyond. There are times when I've wanted to use his art to inspire my own, but I just can't look at his works for too long before they start really affecting me. His paintings are so powerful.

[leahcimnamttug]

I did my senior project on him, had to combine three paintings into one. I chose the Pope Innocent Study. Only thing I’ve ever come close to nailing. I wish I knew the demise of my painting. Dumpster probly. People got freaked out by it. I loved the reactions. I don’t think he would have been too disappointed with it.

[dahlia]

The sense of dread is astounding and fascinating- can't wait to see the other parts!

[informitas]

I've been putting off watching this as I have enough pained dark art in my life, being a depressed schizophrenic artist. I'm trying to pick up painting again after a bad period of paranoia, so I figured watching this could maybe help.
I really like his art, and I completely share his way of viewing art as a medium for inner forces and not being slave to beauty.

[peepnox]

Love Francis Bacon paintings, they feel very personal and creepy.

[tokemob]

Mental health issues severely plague my family's lineage. My mother has been depressed for as long as she remembers and recently became highly suicidal( she's currently getting help shes ok) and we have seen a lot of issues with substance abuse, anxiety and schizophrenia among relatives. Most of my mothers side is artistically inclined including myself and sometimes I worry that my mother and myself will succumb to the "ill artist" life when we're old. I worry we will lose our minds and soon our lives because of this plague. Thank you for making this videos. They somewhat help me understand myself and others and how we express our humanity.

[spacecakemaple]

writing an essay about Francis Bacon for my current uni project and I found this video so informative and helpful!

[hyperspacesushi]

The poor soul...Hearing his background, especially knowing what Ireland was like through these times, I feel terrible for him.

[JohnTLyon]

Bacon's description of his father sounds a lot like my own grandparents who were hard line Irish Catholics. I was terrified of them until well into my middle teens. Until the age of 12, I was convinced my grandmother was a witch.

[bugv]

I really have to say thankyou for creating these videos, I'm graduating this year and I've taken ceramics all 3 years, you introduced me to some of my now favorite artists and I'm actually doing a sculpture based off his work! Thankyou so much for your engaging content💘💓

[thPlace]

I’ve visited Francis Bacon’s preserved studio in the Hugh Lane gallery in Dublin multiple times during the years. I still retain that overwhelmed feeling when you peer through the perplex glass to see his studio. The paint buckets everywhere, to the paint brushes and paint splatters on the floor. I often joke about how that would be my studio if given the chance, but it’s truly remarkable seeing it in person. You feel that his presence still there. Truly a remarkable artist and definitely try to visit if you ever get the chance!

[rowdyryan]

The artist that started my journey into painting. TY mr.dweller

[Eroxi]

Watching your channel and the artists you have covered, it has inspired me to get back into my own art. It's been over 5 years since I really drew anything. Thank you for the inspiration. Maybe one day I'll get good enough to get covered hahaha one can dream.

[Vuchatra]

This "series" moved me in a way i haven't felt since i was a youngling, can't really tell what really hit me exactly, but you have captured an existence of a human being like no one before.