Francis Bacon - A Tainted Talent (Full Documentary)

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.

This is a full (and admittedly roughly edited) compilation video of a four-part series I worked on a while back called “Francis Bacon - A Tainted Talent”. You can still watch the original four episodes via the playlist below.

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Submit your art or say hi:

[magzdilluh]

In the 1989 Batman movie, a Francis Bacon painting is the sole painting that Jack Nicholson's Joker chooses to spare from destruction during the art museum scene.

[kiokokoffin]

This documentary saved my entire art career. I say this without any exaggeration, thank you so much for your incredible work. I loved his work for so many years but I watched the series a year and a half ago. I literally just had my first exhibition and I am graduating as an honors fine arts this year. I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you.
Edit: I just graduated from Texas A&M University and have another offer for an exhibition in my city. I have been showing my art in a few galleries this year as well. I cannot thank you all enough for your encouragement and kind words :)

[SallyBerry]

Before I watch this, I have to pop this here: My late Grandfather knew Francis Bacon (He also knew Lucian Freud) as he was the accountant/book keeper for a resturant called Wheelers (Sp?) that was a favourite among artists since they could pay for food with art work as most were struggling due to their studios and gallery people taking massive cuts of the sale price for pieces.
According to my Grandad, Francis Bacon would sometimes come over to talk to him when he grew bored of whoever he had been there with. My Grandad said he was a "Troubled, yet pleasant man.". My grandad was also there when the Resturant Owner asked Bacon and Freud to paint pieces of one another. (There's a piece on ArtUK that talks about that).

[unstablecalico]

What makes Francis Bacon my most favorite artist, is how his art somehow seems to give a "glitchy" visual, *years* before the concept of such would even exist....

[Oscartherescuedog]

One of the best, if not THE best, documentaries made on Francis Bacon. Well done 👍🏻

[cpl.geckell]

I just saw one of Bacon's paintings in a museum the other week. It was so bizarre. I wasn't even looking for it and I didn't even know it was in there, I was just walking through the halls and outside one wing there it was, like a fucking jumpscare. I love him

[thexdude]

I love Francis Bacon and all the artists you've talked about. Thank you for everything you do.

[loeandbehold]

Im not much of a painter, but your documentaries on these artists always inspire me to abandon my drawings and paint some. Honestly when i watch these i always improve a lot, and i feel enriched by the stories. Thank you so much for making these!

[RiderOfTheBeast]

Supposedly, Bacon's work was a partial inspiration for the Silent Hill game franchise. If true, then I can totally see why!!!

[johnshields]

Some of his paintings are nightmare like, it's like he could conjure a horrific image yet paint it in an interesting way, I think it's fascinating, as if he captured a dark human thought and painted it.

[elevate]

Make a full documentary on Beksiński. He more than anyone deserves a documentary exploring his work and his life.

[matthewgabbard]

It's interesting that you mentioned Turing. It's almost as if the British were willing to accept open homosexuality in an artist as that could be explained as Bohemian eccentricity. But they would not accept it in the man responsible for helping win the war. They couldn't allow a homosexual to be a hero

[Ann-edbq]

Although deeply disturbing, this is one of the best artist documentaries I’ve come across. Listening to people’s different interpretations on The Three Studies and then Bacon’s own description of how these paintings manifest themselves, I came to understand as an artist myself that humanity is the instrument with which a much deeper mind makes itself known. There are artists which are moved by light, and there are artists that are moved by shadows, and there are artists that are moved by the dance between light and shadow, and through all of these we can learn to grasp the inexorable nature of light and shadow upon perception itself. Until we can unite the two in one purpose in our understanding, we will continue to manifest the extremes both in art and in life. This documentary gave me a greater compassion for all human beings caught in the struggle of this greater thing that is becoming itself.

[ericfan]

Adrian Lyne was also inspired by Francis Bacon for his film Jacob’s Ladder. In the screenplay there are biblically literal devils with horns and angels with feathered wings. Lyne wanted something more grounded and disturbing and so he looked to Bacon’s paintings as inspiration for the more abstract demons in the movie.

[rhobot]

In Dublin, at one of the museums, I saw in 2016 a complete replica of his painting studio. As in, someone took everything out of it and recreated it inside the museum. Filthy! Repugnant! So visceral in effect. ... I find his work very hard to look at. The deliberate grossness of it. Genius.

[mariach]

It was through your original 4 part series that I discovered your amazing channel, i love every artist that you have covered and I look forward to more. Thank you for all your work.

[EddieAtom]

Just finished watching this documentary and I really want to thank you for making this. By the very end of the video I felt really emotional hearing about his art and life that inspired it. Francis Bacon is one of my all time favorite artists and I can see myself revisiting this video again. Thank you

[Am_Brew]

I never knew I loved art so much until I stumbled upon your channel a couple of months ago. Thank you for all your wonderful work <3

[gvzivnk]

This is the best documentary on Francis Bacon I have ever seen, and must be one of the best artist documentaries I have seen, period. Thank you and bravo!

[jaredshepard]

This was excellent. I appreciate the work you put into this.