In luxury real estate, the best homes don’t just impress—they leave an imprint. They live with you long after you walk out the door. And increasingly, the difference between a beautiful space and an unforgettable one comes down to the art.
Few artists change a room the way Russell Young does.
At the center of his global acclaim stands FAME, the diamond dust series that immortalizes the faces who defined the last century—Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Jackie Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot, and James Dean. You’ll find Young’s pieces everywhere from the Bird Streets to Montecito, Aspen to Manhattan. Not by accident. Because a Russell Young doesn’t just decorate a space. It defines it.
When a Room Becomes a Story
In my work guiding some of the most discerning buyers and sellers across Los Angeles, Montecito, Aspen, Miami, and New York, I’ve seen firsthand how the right Russell Young shifts a home’s narrative.
It was a client who first introduced me to his work—and my own collection started, as one might guess, with two Brando pieces. The first and most iconic: “Brando on Bike” in black and white diamond dust. I didn’t plan it. I saw it, felt it, and knew immediately: it wasn’t just a piece of art. It was a story. It changed the energy of the entire space. That’s what great art does—it changes the room. It changes you.
This piece was notably exhibited in Dreamland at Art Angels in Beverly Hills, a show that captured the intoxication, rebellion, and ruin of celebrity. I was so transfixed by the piece, I left with the red version as well.
Each portrait from FAME + SHAME hits differently, depending on the room, the home, the life you build around it:
Russell Young, Brando Bike - B&W, 2008
Marlon Brando — Frozen in perfect rebellion, cigarette dangling, gaze cutting straight through the frame. His black-and-white Triumph portrait surges with movement, danger, and charisma. Hang it right, and you don’t just own an artwork—you own a force. (Featured in “Dreamland,” Maddox Gallery, London)
Russell Young, Brando Bike - Red, 2013
Elizabeth Taylor — Mid-glance, wrapped in light and diamond dust, a study in beauty that doesn’t ask for permission. In the right home, Elizabeth doesn’t just sit on the wall. She watches over it. (Exhibited at Maddox Gallery and Art Miami)
Russell Young, Elizabeth Taylor, Diamond Dust, 2011
Marilyn Monroe — Haunted, electric, bigger than the myth. Young’s Marilyn portraits, many sourced from her final sessions, glitter with heartbreak. They don’t just capture her—they make you remember what it cost to shine that brightly. (Shown at “Icons,” Halcyon Gallery, London)
Russell Young, Crying Marilyn (Fire Red), 2011
Elvis Presley — The King in full velocity. Young’s Elvis explodes with youth, ego, swagger—and a whisper of the fall that always comes. In a home theater or a penthouse lounge, Elvis brings momentum you feel in your chest. (Exhibited at “Once Around,” Los Angeles)
Russell Young, Elvis Pink, 2025
Jackie Kennedy — Still, regal, almost untouchable. Young captures Jackie’s real legacy: not the tragedy, but the armor. Perfect for formal living spaces where elegance is non-negotiable. (Featured in “Icons,” Halcyon Gallery)
Brigitte Bardot — Wild, sensual, dangerous. Bardot brings a flash of Saint-Tropez heat to any space. She doesn’t fit into a room. She forces it to catch up. (Shown in “Dreamland,” Maddox Gallery)
Russell Young, Bardot Supreme Red, 2023
James Dean — The boy you can’t save. Dean portraits burn slow—quiet, aching, undeniable. Hang him where the light hits just right, and he’ll haunt the house the way only James Dean can. (Featured in “FAME,” Art Angels, Los Angeles)
Russell Young, James Dean, 2009
Who Lives With Legends
Russell Young’s FAME + SHAME series isn’t just collected. It’s coveted. These portraits live with power brokers, icons, and cultural institutions around the world—people who understand the weight of legacy, beauty, and myth.
Museums & Institutions
- Albertina Museum, Vienna
- The Getty Collection, Los Angeles
- The Core Club, New York
- Cornell Art Museum, Florida
- Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, Istanbul
- Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow
- The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC
- The Polk Museum of Art, Florida
- White House Collection, Washington, D.C.
Fashion, Art & Culture Patrons
- The Benetton Foundation
- David Hockney
- Kate Moss
- Paul Smith
- The Saatchi Collection
- Beth DeWoody
- Aby Rosen
- Daisy Soros
- Mare Jacobs
- Laurence Graff
Hollywood & Music Legends
- David Bowie
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Brad Pitt
- Angelina Jolie
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Jennifer Aniston
- Kirsten Dunst
- Kate Beckinsale
- Lou Reed
- Drake
- Kanye West
- Kris Jenner
- Khloe Kardashian
- Sharon Osbourne
World Leaders & Global Powerhouses
- Mohammed VI of Morocco
- The Qatari Royal Family
- Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece
- Elon Musk
- Mark Zuckerberg
- John Paulson
And among them — Brendan Brown, Los Angeles.
As one of the youngest collectors in this rarefied circle, I’ve not only brought Russell Young’s work into my personal collection, but into some of the most exclusive properties I represent. Because I don’t just sell and stage homes. I shape them. And I know that great art doesn’t fill a wall—it claims a space.
The Final Word
Owning a Russell Young—especially from FAME—isn’t about trends. It’s about anchoring your space, your identity, and your story to something enduring.
To live with a legend is to understand what it means to shape atmosphere. To carry legacy.
To turn silence into statement. Because real luxury isn’t loud. It lingers.
And in the right home? It doesn’t hang. It reigns.
For private sourcing, curated acquisitions, or to discuss integrating legacy-level art into your next chapter, I’d be honored to put you in touch with Russell’s best brokers Jacqueline at Art Angels in Beverly Hills.
