Shocking incidents at Hull Prison led to Bronson being jailed for life
Charles Bronson and a self portrait(Image: PA/dugglebystephenson.com)
“You will see a lot of confusion and pain in it. That’s my life you’re looking at. I am a lifer.” Those are the telling words of Charles Bronson, the man who has been described as the most violent and dangerous individual in the British prison system, as a huge collection of his art goes under the hammer.
Extending to 500 drawings and sketches, the collection is thought to be the most comprehensive group of Bronson‘s prison works ever to appear at auction. They will be sold as one lot in York on Wednesday, March 11, with a pre-sale estimate of between £100,000 and £200,000.
First jailed in 1974 at the age of 22 when he was given seven years for an armed robbery, Bronson went on to stage a series of attacks and hostage-taking situations involving other inmates, guards and prison officials that ultimately resulted in a life sentence, much of which has been spent in solitary confinement. Two of the most shocking incidents occurred at Hull Prison.
In 1994, he held the deputy governor of the prison hostage for five hours and in 1999 he took a visiting art teacher hostage after the man criticised one of his drawings. The 44-hour standoff that ensued was the offence for which he was given the life sentence.
Coralie Thomson, of auctioneers Duggleby Stephenson, who are conducting the online sale, said: “Bronson began to develop an interest in sketching and drawing almost ten years into his incarceration, an interest that developed into a passion that has lasted for more than 40 years. The massive collection going under the hammer on Wednesday – over 500 drawings, sketches, ink compositions and works on paper – began when our vendor picked up a single Bronson picture 20 years ago.
Coralie Thomson of auctioneers Duggleby Stephenson with Bronson’s ’50 Yrs of Porridge'(Image: dugglebystephenson.com)
“They not only became an avid collector but also began corresponding with Bronson, establishing a relationship that has enabled them to discuss art and Bronson’s ideas.” Coralie said: “Critical opinion of Bronson’s art could scarcely be wider – everything from ‘a raw genius inviting us to explore the complexities of the human condition’ through to ‘simplistic cartoons’.
“However, one of the most fascinating aspects of the preparation of this unique auction has been that, through the collector, we have been able to pose questions to Bronson, now held in a specialist close supervision centre at Woodhill Prison in Buckinghamshire, about his art. He revealed that pursuing his interest has been difficult with jails at times refusing him materials – pens, crayons, card – and denying him posting his drawings and sketches out to family and friends.
“He said he is still very limited in what materials he can and can’t have and actually dreams of creating oils on canvas. When we asked if he views much of his work as satire or humour, he replied: ‘I don’t do humour art. I’m an artist, not a clown. My art is brutal, it bleeds, it screams.
“It’s basically saying free me – let me die a free man’. He expressed his pride that his work sells – although he is not permitted to benefit personally from the sale of his drawings and sketches – and he revealed that he is particularly pleased that his art raises thousands of pounds for charitable causes.”
Coralie added: “The decision has been taken to keep this unique collection together and so all 500 drawings and sketches at the auction – Charles Bronson: Expression in Confinement – are being sold as a single lot. The pre-sale estimate is £100,000 to £200,000.”
Just a few of the 500 drawings and sketches by Charles Bronson that are being sold(Image: dugglebystephenson.com)
The catalogue and details are available at davidduggleby.com, with viewing taking place at the Duggleby Stephenson Saleroom in the York Auction Centre at Murton. The sale is a fully automated online auction taking place at 2pm on Wednesday.
Through the questions the saleroom team were able to put to Bronson via the vendor of the collection, he revealed art “just crashed into my crazy world”. He said he was a very late starter and was “a very angry lost soul” before art found him.
He said: “I never rush my art as to me it’s magical. I use it to express my feelings, I release all my frustrations.” Bronson had his own registered charity set up, run by his power of attorney, and the prisoner said: “My art now raises thousands for charity.”
Asked how conscious he was of creating a public persona through his art, Bronson replied: “I’m not really into fame. I create for me.
“If people like it then good on them. It definitely sells, collectors love it but the system hates it.”
By Reason Of Insanity – Bronson’s art has been described as everything from ‘raw genius’ to ‘simplistic cartoons'(Image: dugglebystephenson.com)
Bronson said he felt rehabilitated by his art – “I’m a better man, stronger, more passionate” – and added: “It’s a very proud moment when it sells – I feel part of the human race.
“If you have one of my creations then you have part of my world. Art gives me a sense of purpose, it frees my demons, it’s my future outside – I can make a good honest living out of it.
“I would say to anybody seeing my art for the first time, please study it and you will see a lot of confusion and pain in it. That’s my life you’re looking at. I am a lifer.”
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