Background Bob
Noah Jones | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 August 2008 |
| Died | 20 November 2023 (aged 15) |
| Other names | Background Bob |
| Known for | Art collaborations |
Noah Jones (21 August 2008 – 20 November 2023), nicknamed Background Bob, was a British teenage artist from Dedham, Essex, whose art projects raised over £250,000 for the hospital trust that treated him for hydrocephalus, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Along with his father, his collaborators included Ed Sheeran and Grayson Perry.
Biography[edit]
Noah was born in 2008 with hydrocephalus, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy.[1] His father is Nathan Jones, a painter and decorator.[2] He lived with his family in Dedham, Essex.[3] At the age of 11 and unable to attend school in spring of 2020, during the first COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom, he began to paint on cardboard.[1] Subsequently, artists from around the world responded to his father's Instagram request for collaborators.[1] Noah painted the background and noted artists painted images on them.[4] Over 250 international artists, including My Dog Sighs, Anna Schellberg, Pez, Trust.iCON, Carne Griffiths and Silent Bill, sent their creations.[5] Others included Ed Sheeran, Shepard Fairey, WRDSMTH, Grayson Perry, and Phill Jupitus.[6] The aim was to auction the completed paintings to raise money for the Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity.[5]
The first exhibition was held at Firstsite, Colchester, in October 2020.[7] The artwork displayed "the thoughts, feelings and experiences of lockdown".[7] Many were exhibited and sold, with the proceeds going to charity.[1] A collection of the paintings was published in a book, Background Bob and His Amazing Friends.[5] Along with the A5 copies, there were 50 special edition books containing paintings by Noah himself.[5] By autumn of 2023, Background Bob and His Amazing Friends book number three was published, on a background of three exhibitions, and three auctions.[6]
Noah died on 20 November 2023, at the age of 15.[8][1][9]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Jones, Charlie (22 November 2023). "Background Bob: Essex boy whose art raised £250k dies aged 15". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ "Teenage artist known as Background Bob who worked with Ed Sheeran dies". www.itv.com. ITV. 22 November 2023. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ Jones, Charlie (8 June 2022). "Ed Sheeran surprises Essex teen by joining Background Bob art project". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ "Background Bob Creates Amazing Art for Charity". Inspiring City. 25 February 2021. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d Papworth, Andrew (6 October 2020). "Disabled boy, 11, starts 'global phenomenon' with Covid lockdown art". East Anglian Daily Times. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Background Bob Book 3". www.colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk/. Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity. Archived from [xhttps://www.colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk/shop/background-bob the original] on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ a b "@background_bob and his amazing friends | Exhibition | Colchester". Firstsite. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ "Teenage artist known as Background Bob who worked with Ed Sheeran dies". ITV News. 22 November 2023.
- ^ O'Hanlon, Séamus (22 November 2023). "Dad pays heartbreaking tribute to 'beautiful and smiley' 15-year-old Dedham boy". Gazette. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.