The Connor Brothers have now been a fixture in the contemporary art world for over a decade with their thought-provoking works and contemporary satire. They have gained recognition around the world for their exploration of themes such as truth, fiction, and the nature of art itself. Their works often incorporate vintage book covers and collages, featuring witty and poignant phrases that have captivated audiences for their combination of humour, nostalgia, and social commentary.

Mike Snelle and James Golding aka The Connor Brothers

Join us as we explore how The Connor Brothers evolved from the art world’s latest newcomers, to social disruptors, to contemporary art legends.

2012

The Connor Brothers first erupted into the art world limelight in 2012 under the names Franklyn and Brendan Connor. The pair created a fictitious ‘Hollywood style’ backstory, claiming they grew up in a cult in America where they escaped at the age of 16. They allegedly fled to Brooklyn and turned to art to learn about the world they had been sheltered from.

2014

In 2014, however, the truth was finally revealed in an interview with the Guardian, where the pair uncloaked themselves as Mike Snelle and James Golding, former art dealers from East London.

The pair had invented the elaborate charade to protect themselves as they didn’t feel comfortable exposing themselves to the prying eyes of the public, with Golding saying, “The world was very different back then." “Today we’re talking quite openly about mental health, whereas ten years ago it wasn’t like that.”.

2015

In 2015, work started on a project that would secure the pair’s reputation as societal disruptors. The duo spent several years in the notorious French refugee camp in Calais known as The Jungle, building shelters and learning the stories of the refugees who had recently fled their homes.

Inspired by their time in French refugee camps, The Connor Brothers collaborated with tongue-in-cheek artist Banksy to curate and produce a refugee-themed act within his Dismaland theme park, performed by Russian feminist protest group Pussy Riot. The performance called to the visitor’s attention public socio-political issues like immigration and the rise of fake news.

2017

In 2017, the pair launched their ‘Refuchic’ billboard campaign, which forced us to examine our attitude towards poverty and displacement. The series saw glossy magazine covers adapted to highlight the inequality the artists learn about when meeting refugees entering the UK. The series was created to ridicule celebrity culture and highlight a lack of humanity. With the pair saying, “Our artworks are not really about giving an answer or asking a question; they're more about asking the people seeing the art to question themselves”.

2020

During the pandemic, the pair spent time reflecting and focusing on their many years in the art market and collaborated to produce a new body of humorous works in a style not yet touched by the duo. Their bastardised oils series saw famous and recognisable works from art history restyled with a uniquely modern twist.

2021

After the success of their Bastardised Oils series, the artists saw a new auction record set with their 2020 oil painting ‘The Bestest and Most Expensivist Painting in the History of Art’, a reimagining of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi. The original Da Vinci work broke news when it hammered for $450 million at Christie’s auction house in 2017, becoming the highest price ever paid for an artwork at auction.

During a sale at Sotheby’s Auction House in May 2021, The Connor Brothers ‘The Bestest and Most Expensivist Painting in the History of Art’ hammered for more than $44,000, smashing its pre-estimate of $10,000–$15,000. This piece holds the record for the highest amount paid for a work by The Connor Brothers at auction.

‘The Bestest and Most Expensivist Painting in The History of Art’ (2020), Oil on canvas

During 2021, the duo began their series of print collaborations with musician Noel Gallagher, with all proceeds going to the cancer care charity, Teenage Cancer Trust. The limited edition of 100 prints featured the words ‘These are crazy days, but they make me shine’ taken from the Oasis song ‘All Around The World’. Below are the first and second collaborative works by the artists and Noel Gallagher:

2022

In July 2022, the pair collaborated with Extraordinary Objects Gallery to create ‘Some of My Best Friends Are Dinosaurs’, an exhibition showcasing a large selection of natural history alongside paintings from their hugely popular Regression Series. This was the first exhibition of its kind and offered visitors the opportunity to see many of the natural world’s most astonishing objects, alongside never-before-seen works by two of the UK’s most engaging artists.

The Connor Brothers with ‘Tracey’ the Triceratops Skull

To read more about ‘Some of My Best Friends Are Dinosaurs’ click below

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2023

In April 2023, to coincide with the inaugural sale of Bonham’s ‘Hot off the Press’, The Connor Brothers announced an exclusive partnership with the auction house where two print editions would be launched. One of which was titled ‘Beautiful Fiction’ with all the proceeds being donated to Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity the pair became ambassadors for in 2022. This sale saw The Connor Brothers’ works showcased alongside David Hockney’s, Grayson Perry’s, Harland Miller’s, and more, raising over £40,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust.

In October 2023, The Connor Brothers collaborated with Maddox Gallery for their show ‘Once Were Kings', which featured their ‘Regression’ paintings depicting some of history’s most fearsome predators, which once ruled the world. To celebrate this collaboration, works from the series were showcased alongside genuine dinosaur skeletons inside London’s Natural History Museum, with The Connor Brothers in attendance for a Q&A.

Original canvases by The Connor Brothers, alongside a full Stegosaurus skeleton

2024

In May 2024, The Connor Brothers announced their new series ‘Unfiltered’, created with Clarendon Fine Art. In the series, the pair reimagine Pelican Books’ iconic aesthetic to present an unfiltered educational experience all their own. When asked about their inspiration for the series, the pair said, “Most people are happy to think, ‘This is the way it is.’ But it really isn’t. Who knows the truth about anything?”.

In June 2024, the artists will team up with Bonham’s Auction House to present ‘Anything But Ordinary’, an auction celebrating all things extraordinary, regardless of genre. For this auction, they draw on their passion for both art and natural history to present a collection that ranges from artwork by iconic artists Basquiat and Banksy to meteorites, dinosaurs, and a piece of the moon. Artists from around the world have donated works to the sale, with all proceeds going to support Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity The Connor Brothers are ambassadors for.

“Bonhams are throwing an old school end of times throw down party to celebrate all the fucking awesomeness and everyone’s favourite Spice Girl Melanie C is djing. There’s an unbelievable young spoken word poet performing, and fancy ass drinks with little umbrellas in, and surprise guests, and if we can convince them, a death wall motorbike performance. It’s going to be fucking mental” - The Connor Brothers

If you want to see some of nature's most astonishing objects and incredible art, join The Connor Brothers on June 10th for the opening night. Tickets via the link below:

TICKETS

Since their start in 2012, the artists have grown from newcomers to some of contemporary art’s biggest names. They have continually evolved while still remaining focused on giving back to the community by raising millions of pounds for charities such as The Big Issue, CALM, and Choose Love, as well as continually supporting Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity they became ambassadors for in 2022.

View available works by The Connor Brothers by clicking below, and please get in touch with any inquiries or questions.

The Connor Brothers: Saints and Sinners, The Story so far...