Robbie Williams glorifies female names from 80s in debut paintings
A woman takes a picture of "Sharon," one of the pieces on display at Sotheby's in London, for Robbie Williams and his creative partner, Ed Godrich's debut exhibition. (DPA Photo)


Inspired by the female names that were common in the '80s, singer Robbie Williams and interior designer Ed Godrich have entitled the paintings of their debut show after these names.

The "Take That" singer Williams and Godrich have spent the last five years creating 14 never-before-seen works deeply rooted in the rave and music scene from that era.

The "Black And White Paintings" exhibition opened on Friday at Sotheby's New Bond Street galleries in central London and runs until May 25.

Williams said they are now ready to share their "creative vision with the world."

Popstar Robbie Williams during a concert in Germany. (DPA)

Talking about the inspiration behind the naming of the pieces, which include Janet, Donna and Mandy, Williams said: "We like the obscurity of these names, which were highly popular back in the day but are not so common today.

"For us, they are the names that define the '80s, an influential era which has inspired our art."

Williams and Godrich, who bonded over a love of art and music, worked on several paintings at a time, developing them in tandem, with each adding layers of detail.

Godrich said: "All the characters are in our head and they come to life as the painting develops.

"Sometimes a character will emerge by mistake, or part of a figurine will happen by chance because of the direction of a single brushstroke.

A piece titled "Sharon" is on display at Sotheby's in London, for Robbie Williams and his creative partner, Ed Godrich's debut exhibition, "Black and White Paintings," featuring 14 never-before-seen works and marking the first time their paintings have been displayed publicly. (DPA Photo)

"Robbie might see something completely different when it's his turn to draw, that's why our works take on multiple narratives.

"He'll add a bit and I'll add a bit until we end up with a completely unique being."

Williams added: "Our art has been five years in the making. Nobody has seen this body of work publicly before, but now we're ready to share our creative vision with the world.

"I hope people will feel a sense of positivity when looking at our work. I want them to be intrigued, to feel curious, and spot new characteristics every time they look back at each painting."