This past Thursday marked the 20th anniversary of cultural icon Freddie Mercury’s death of AIDS-related pneumonia. In some ways, however, it doesn’t seem that long — the Queen frontman is still an incredible influence in art, music and fashion, and has been frequently name-checked as one of the biggest influences of many musicians, including Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, two of pop culture’s current reigning queens. Indeed, something about the Zanzibar-born Mercury (née Farrokh Bulsara) is singularly inspiring — his incredible showmanship, his forward-thinking, his unimpeachable talent both for singing and songwriting, his independent attitude, that moustache — and he continues to have a hand in many forms of art today. On the 20th anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s death, we’ve rounded up a few artworks, both large and small, that pay homage to the man, the myth, the legend. Click through to see our Freddie-art, and let us know which capture him the best in the comments.
The Freddie Mercury statue in Montreux, Switzerland, by Czech artist Irena Sedlecka [via]
Freddie Mercury portrait (step back) by Victor Molev.
Anti-Piracy ad by FirstFloorUnder TBWA [via].
The Google doodle/music video posted on Mercury’s 65th birthday this September.
Charles Messina’s one man show premiered at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in Chelsea on November 24th, 1997 at 6:48pm, the exact 6th anniversary of Mercury’s death, enjoyed three runs and was published in 2009. [via]
Poster by illustrator Elena Dolgova.
Oil Painting by Renata Przeniosło from her collection entitled “Freddie Mercury – Creations” [via]
“Flying Freddie Mercury” by Linda Preece, bronze sculpture (and it’s for sale!)
Lego Freddie Mercury by Iain Heath.
Painting by John Froehlich.
Tootsie Pop art by Johnny Goodyear.
Wild Freddie Mercury graffiti [via].
Unknown artist [via].
Oil portrait by Superlautir.
Unknown artist (come on, we just couldn’t resist) [via].