Frances Bean Cobain Assumes Pseudonym, Debuts Artwork

[Editor's note: For the next two Fridays, Flavorwire will be counting down our 20 most popular features of 2010. This post, which originally ran on July 13, 2010, comes in at position number 12.] We always knew to expect great (or, at the very least, interesting) things from the daughter of two of rock’s darkest legends, and Frances Bean Cobain‘s burgeoning art career has not disappointed. The 17-year-old offspring of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love (pseudonym: Fiddle Tim) just put up her first gallery show Scumfuck at L.A.’s La Luz De Jesus Gallery. Cobain’s art is gritty and visceral (kind of like her dad’s), depicting androgynous, obese, or malnourished characters and fringe public figures like punk provocateur GG Allin and cult leader Jim Jones. Oh, and there’s one piece with the caption “Treat me like your mother or I’ll eat the sun.” From what we’ve seen, young Frances Bean’s artwork promises to be as controversial as her parents’ musical legacy. After the jump, check out some images from the show and let us know what you think of the alterna-rock scion’s creations.


Chopsy Cheech; graphite & ink on paper. 12″ x 13″ in 16″ x 20″ frame

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[...] Frances Bean Cobain debuts her art under a pseudonym….. [...]

[...] Apparently Love had planned to auction off the art along with some other Cobain memorabilia, but ownership of the paintings is currently being contested by his publishing company, EOM, who has been footing the bill for Love’s unpaid storage fees. Head over to The Fix to get a look at all of the newly-uncovered pieces, and let us know in the comments who you think has more talent as a visual artist: Cobain or his daughter, Frances Bean. [...]

[...] is also an artist in her own right—having held a gallery show of her drawings last December at L.A.’s La Luz De Jesus Gallery.  Whatever you might think of her artwork or [...]

[...] days in Hole, the young Cobain has grown into quite the classic beauty, not to mention a talented visual artist (under the pseudonym “Fiddle Tim”), too. The offspring of rock royalty recently made [...]

[...] seem to be deserving of her mother’s craziness, but has grown into her own with a Los Angeles art gallery exhibit of her ink [...]

[...] in addition to modeling. (Remember, Ryan Adams stole her trust fund so you may wanna buy some of her work.) Frances recently posed for these artistically grungy photos by Hedi Slimane; take a look, [...]

[...] proprio che abbia scelto la seconda: ha aperto in questi giorni una sua personale d’arte, dal titolo Scumfuck, presso una galleria di Los Angeles. E non sono, come era prevedibile, disegnini di [...]

[...] clearly inherited some of her father’s talent. Want to see what some of her work looks like? Check it out here. AKPC_IDS += "30084,"; Share and [...]

[...] under the pseudonym “Fiddle Tim”, Cobain’s artwork is, well, scary. At least, it’s scary in the way that old Nine Inch Nails videos are scary, [...]

[...] under the pseudonym “Fiddle Tim”, Cobain’s artwork is, well, scary. At least, it’s scary in the way that old Nine Inch Nails videos are scary, [...]

[...] on the back of a notebook. Whatevs. Either way, you can see a gallery of Fiddle Tim’s art here. [NYDN, Flavorwire] Tagged:artcourtney lovefrances bean cobainkurt cobainla luz de jesus [...]

[...] As illustrated, not to scale. [...]

[...] Frances Bean Cobain Assumes Pseudonym, Debuts Artwork [flavor Wire] Topics: Courtney Love, Wired [...]

[...] si chiedono perchè la piccina passi il tempo a dipingere questi [...]

Totes reminds me of Jhonen Vasquez. Jhonen has done artwork and videos for her favourite band Mindless Self Indulgence. Just a stereotypical art student. If she wasn't the daughter of two famous people, I highly doubt any of you people would give a single shit

wtf she is total kurt's daughter

They're good! And I don't think they're disturbing at all. They're kind of funny. It's the moon telling humans to be civil, or else he's going to eat the sun. And the obese guy has a "Health Care" tattoo. The only one that holds no humor at all, for me, is the sixth one. But I like them!

LOOKS JUST LIKE HER FATHERS ITS REFRESHING. TWO THUMBS UP

Hmmmm well I just sort of skimmed through them but from what I saw, they are angry, edgy, dark, confusing, and very well done. They aren't pieces that people take to right away...they would have to bring out something inside of you. I think she's got something here.

Not a Kurt Cobain fan though his music was popular when I was still in high school and college. But I really liked her art. Sure, it's not trained, but how many untrained people can do this? Most people have images in their heads and cannot translate that to form. She can. Sheesh, I've seen many educated "contemporary artists" make shit and try to sound really profound through their artist's notes, when all the while they're still mimicking Duchamp. These are not lazy artworks that need to be justified by artist's notes. The forms speak for themselves.

These paintings look very very similar to the new "Kurt" paintings that Courtney is trying to sell.

This girl is disturbed. Anyone can create disturbing, gross images and call it art? Who wud actually hang that grotesque ART on their walls...ugh

I'm not going to say anything positive or negative about these pieces. Art is a form of expression, and while some might find these mediocre and unoriginal, others might find these lovely and innovative. If someone is out there expressing themselves, no matter how mastered or horrific the end result is, we shouldn't bash them. We are entitled to our opinions, but other than constructive criticism I wonder how dissing her is really going to make a difference. Yes, she has more privileges than others due to her family, but that doesn't mean she should be shunned because she is consciously or unconsciously using those privileges. Honestly, you would too if you could.

Haha! I enjoy reading the mix of comments on here. Hrmm. Bean's stuff *is* more refined than any "angsty teen doodles" that I've seen (not to mention that poetry is what's most common nowadays), and any teenager who's gone through strife would definitely be capable of putting together "art" such as this. The buyers here are not buying for aesthetic pleasure, and they probably wouldn't admit it; but it's clearly only because her parents were who they were. Lol. I don't blame them at all, though - Heck, I'd buy any kind of art that involved conscious and emotion (i.e. not just splattering of paint on a canvas), if it was was created by even the spawn of Kurdt Kobain (and I had limitless amounts of cash). ahmahgosh. Or maybe I'm just being inclined to support the girl because she looks like her parents, she's beeautiful. Kurt's eyes and Courtney's lips.

With no father and a drug-addict mother, she's hardly going to be drawing rabbits and flowers, ppl. You're allowed to be an angsty teenager when you're 17 and have nothing that could be considered a family.

Either you people are jealous or you are just expecting waaay more from her because......she's Kurt Cobains daughter. She seems pretty intelligent to me, just based on the fact that she chose to file for emancipation from Courtney.

Guys listen, she's Kurt Cobain's daughter! Anyone who's a knowledgable musician knows what he did certainly wasn't complex, nor overly-original. It was dark, simple, and to the point. Exactly like his daughter's drawings.

@jg It's not hate. It's frustration and envy at the privileges of celebrity. And yes, you're right. We all would if we could but we can't so we don't and it pisses off so many who think their talents remain unrecognized (as though the unwarranted adulation of celebrity deprives them of any opportunity of "discovery"). It's a hangover of sibling rivalry ("Look at me Daddy. I'm doing something special too.") All these accusations of juvenility seem to me to be a case of "transference". LET IT GO!!

Her work is not that mind blowing or different. However people, she's still a kid. She has to explore what she wants to do. Why degrade her on that. I know that she has ginormous reference that she uses to her advantage. Yet I don't really hear her doing stupid shit like some celebrity kids. I didn't even know she had a show until I randomly went on this site. She just wants to see where her skills can take her. What's wrong with that? You know you would do it too if you were in her shoes. At least she not beating up people. See Nic Cage's son.

Why's everyone hating? It's just some creepy art. An artist doesn't have to be completely fucking perfect to be considered one. And even if she -was- riding the waves of her celebrity-by-birth status, which I doubt, tell me you wouldn't do the fucking same.

go to art school! you need it! just because you are either as mentally damaged as your parents or just surfing off of the creative angst that haunted them both does not mean that you too are an artist. GO TO ART SCHOOL! how boring to be known as a celebrity kid with nothing more than a name and a trust fund. UGH!

Otis, read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Bean_Cobain#Legal_issues Then, consider the judges reasoning in sealing her medical records.

@Damaged Baby - OH FOR GOD'S SAKE. Where is any evidence that: a) She was "addicted to heroin in her mother's womb" b) She suffers from any sort of arrested development c) Making wildly unsustainable assumptions on the basis of viewing a few drawing does not in itself constitute some sort of incurable congenital idiocy?

Interesting that no-one has mentioned the elephant in the room. These are interesting to people who wonder what becoming addicted to heroin whilst in your mother's womb would affect you. The fact that they are juvenile but exhibit a little skill suggests some level of arrested development. Whether this is due to prenatal or postnatal influeces is debateable.

chick owns the street- let's face it, most people can spend thousands of hours studying art & making snooty comments about art- FBC is so connected- rock royalty- maybe this is the future- now she poses for pictures- she is the center of an art concept (get it?) some of the "death of Curt Cobain" websites say that numerous people imitated Curt & committed suicide- check Jim Jones- "okay everybody- purple kool-aid time" - there is a lethality that lurks below the surface of FBC- sweet 16 suicide party- it is pretty bad-ass- at one point does the image merge with the person associated with it?

wow. what a bunch of crap. i do hope she was like 5 when she made this mess.

Well Cono, you certainly have raised the tone here- pop surrealism? well I have heard of Salvador Dali, but I'm thinking Andy Warhol- fancy west coast art galleries exist for a reason, & certainly FB Cobain needed something to do- let's just say her work needs to be seen in a context- of more work- I'm also saying that people may judge her output only in the context that she is the spawn O' Cobain- and Cono: surely you are part of the solution ~~ the stuff is ugly, no question- if I knew more art history theory that would mean that I have spent more time in Academia- when the gallery "covers" for FBC & states that GG Allin would roll in poop for some fame, that is a huge warning sign- GG Allin maybe rejected fame in all of it's disguises & maybe GG Allin rejected fame at every level- if I had GG Allin's complete works to listen to, maybe I would have less of a theory- A. Warhol totally endorsed fame, he slobbered over fame & celebrities--

@Ken "It’s called pop surrealism? I doubt you know what that even means. No, it’s called teenage girl without talent. If her daddy weren’t famous 100 years ago, no art gallery would have displayed her doodling. It’s an insult to every struggling artist with talent. It appears she stopped. Maybe she’ll get a real job." Does it really matter if he knows what 'pop realism' is or not? Try to focus on constructing a mature argument; don't resort to ad hominems. It's obvious you dislike her work, that doesn't mean she's "untalented". A talented artist can still create a good piece of art, even if you don't like it. This brings me to my next point, (you guessed it), art is subjective. It is indeed possible for one to like a painting another does not. You mention that it's an insult to 'talented artists' (ones you like?) for her to display her art in a show as she may have an advantage due to her father's success. I could spend pages explaining why that logic doesn't work, but I'll spare you that. It will simply suffice to ask this: Shouldn't you be criticizing the art critics or showers to allow her to have that kind of advantage, that show her simply because of her parents, not her? Now, If you criticize those who show the art simply because of her parents and fame, shouldn't you also criticize those who mindlessly dislike it for the same reason? Think: Isn't that what you're doing now?

well, she ripped Ali Lohan a new one on Twitter, for cashing in on a relative's celebrity status- If F.B. Cobain's father managed a Burger King, that fancy west coast gallery would have blown her off- does America need another display of sycophantic brown lipstick wearing? That is what it is- more celebrity pandering- hmmm, how many psychos' names are remembered after they perform acts of mayhem? You tim, are part of the problem-

c'mon...she's 17, y'all don't have to be such assholes. i'm sure most of you critics are just bitter and pissed at the fact that you all will die nameless

A little bit of Ralph Steadman in there- not too good with animals (the goat) Reminds me of something drawn for an Art Therapist- Jim Jones? Was Frances playing "No More Nothing" by the band Fear when she drew this? I suppose that would give it inside-joke scenester validity. Jim Jones, the maniacal Cult leader who convinced people to kill themselves? GG Allin, a remarkable individual rolling in all sort of taboos? Frances' Twitter vision shows in her badly puntuated rants, that someone attempted to teach her grammar, and her ability to express her extreme dislike is remarkable. Yes-yes-yes Frances- you create expensive ugliness- with appy-logies to F. Zappa~~~~~~

Everybody says it's the type of thing a 13 year old could draw. Man, I don't have any interest in drawing or being an artist, but if this is what a 13 year old is supposed to be able to draw, I really suck as someone in my 20s who can barely draw a circle.

So she thinks her mom wants to eat the sun..Does that mean shes the devil? CREEPY

well in all honesty is better than any of you! have any of you ever had you art work published in a gallery or on the internet when you were a teenager...er no! your just all so jelous why dont you go and get a life and stop ripping people because your shit at thinking creatively..you losers!

@chelsey It's called pop surrealism? I doubt you know what that even means. No, it's called teenage girl without talent. If her daddy weren't famous 100 years ago, no art gallery would have displayed her doodling. It's an insult to every struggling artist with talent. It appears she stopped. Maybe she'll get a real job.

i think she might have some real talent there. those saying she dosnt are just ignorant. its called pop surealism. its obvious that she has a good eye, she is just unconventional.

Stop pretending like you know anything about art by using words like "subjective" and "refined" etc. etc. If this wasn't done by the daughter of Kurt Cobain, you would probably would have liked it. You're a bunch of assholes, fuck you.

'i think she has the same demons her father had and then some,i.e. courtney love. I feel sad for her i can feel her heart breaking in those disturbing images, i cant imagine what is going thru her mind, the turmoil she must feel.I only hope that her fathers spirit guides her thru this dark time in her life,who im sure wanted better for her than this morbid world that he so desperatly tried to escape himself. Dont be scared frances, they can never eat the sun.' true true! for a 17-18 year old to draw something like this is just a tad bit disturbing. I am an artist and I have NEVER drawn like that! I just hope she is happy and there are no underlying truths to these images and fonts.

This is dreck. Anyone that says otherwise are the same creeps that think it's cute to exclaim "I can't even draw a straight line!" whenever they meet an artist. The girl has nothing better to do so she doodles. She has the name, it's good for marketing, so she uses it. Stupid people will buy it and brag about it to their even stupider friends. Lol.

Trackbacks

  1. [...] Frances Bean Cobain Assumes Pseudonym, Debuts Artwork [flavor Wire] Topics: Courtney Love, Wired [...]

  2. [...] si chiedono perchè la piccina passi il tempo a dipingere questi [...]

  3. [...] under the pseudonym “Fiddle Tim”, Cobain’s artwork is, well, scary. At least, it’s scary in the way that old Nine Inch Nails videos are scary, [...]

  4. [...] under the pseudonym “Fiddle Tim”, Cobain’s artwork is, well, scary. At least, it’s scary in the way that old Nine Inch Nails videos are scary, [...]

  5. [...] clearly inherited some of her father’s talent. Want to see what some of her work looks like? Check it out here. AKPC_IDS += "30084,"; Share and [...]

  6. [...] on the back of a notebook. Whatevs. Either way, you can see a gallery of Fiddle Tim’s art here. [NYDN, Flavorwire] Tagged:artcourtney lovefrances bean cobainkurt cobainla luz de jesus [...]

  7. [...] proprio che abbia scelto la seconda: ha aperto in questi giorni una sua personale d’arte, dal titolo Scumfuck, presso una galleria di Los Angeles. E non sono, come era prevedibile, disegnini di [...]

  8. [...] in addition to modeling. (Remember, Ryan Adams stole her trust fund so you may wanna buy some of her work.) Frances recently posed for these artistically grungy photos by Hedi Slimane; take a look, [...]

  9. [...] seem to be deserving of her mother’s craziness, but has grown into her own with a Los Angeles art gallery exhibit of her ink [...]

  10. [...] days in Hole, the young Cobain has grown into quite the classic beauty, not to mention a talented visual artist (under the pseudonym “Fiddle Tim”), too. The offspring of rock royalty recently made [...]

  11. [...] is also an artist in her own right—having held a gallery show of her drawings last December at L.A.’s La Luz De Jesus Gallery.  Whatever you might think of her artwork or [...]

  12. [...] Apparently Love had planned to auction off the art along with some other Cobain memorabilia, but ownership of the paintings is currently being contested by his publishing company, EOM, who has been footing the bill for Love’s unpaid storage fees. Head over to The Fix to get a look at all of the newly-uncovered pieces, and let us know in the comments who you think has more talent as a visual artist: Cobain or his daughter, Frances Bean. [...]

  13. [...] Frances Bean Cobain debuts her art under a pseudonym….. [...]