A portrait painted by artist Jason Brooks of the late New Zealand cricketer, Martin Crowe MBE, was unveiled in the Long Room at Lord’s today, ahead of the first Rothesay men’s Test match between England and New Zealand at the Home of Cricket. 

This historic Test match is the 150th Test to be played at Lord’s, and the portrait unveiling forms part of the celebrations during the Test.  

Martin Crowe played for New Zealand between 1982 and 1995 and is regarded as one of the country’s greatest batters. His 77 Test matches and 143 One-Day Internationals yielded over 10,000 runs, and his Test best of 299 against Sri Lanka remained New Zealand’s highest individual innings for more than two decades. He was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1985.

In an early link to Lord’s, he spent the 1981 summer on the MCC cricket staff at the Ground whilst on a scholarship from New Zealand, and made a century for the MCC Young Cricketers against MCC at Lord's.

After retiring from playing, Crowe remained involved in cricket as a writer and commentator. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 53, and a decade on, MCC is remembering his life by adding his portrait to those in the Long Room.

 

 

 

 

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British Artist Jason Brooks is associated with Young British Artists (YBAs), a generation of revolutionary artists that studied at Goldsmith University in the 1990s, known for their unconventional approach to universal subjects.  

Brooks created this posthumous portrait painting by harnessing the power of AI to help source all the images of Martin that are available on the internet. In an attempt to replicate his normal day to day practice with his sitters, over ten thousands images were collated and condensed in order to help capture and do justice to an amazing career & life. Cropping in on Martin’s face to emphasise the subject’s gaze and its intensity, and only using black acrylic paint. We live in a world that wants to airbrush every detail out, whereas Brooks wants to use the airbrush and paint as a tool of exposure, inviting us to confront humanity and all its nuances. 

MCC does not usually commission posthumous portraits, but the chance to work with Brooks and the Crowe family generated a special opportunity to mark Martin Crowe’s legacy to cricket, whilst expanding MCC’s art collection in new and interesting ways. 

Emma Crowe, Martin’s daughter, was present at the unveiling alongside MCC Chair, Mark Nicholas and artist, Jason Brooks. The New Zealand men’s cricket team also attended the ceremony following a practice session.

Emma Crowe said: “The first time I saw the portrait, it was incredibly emotional. Jason has captured Papa’s likeness and spirit so beautifully. The dedication, care and attention he has given to this portrait reflects the same commitment Papa brought to the game of cricket throughout his life.

“To unveil the portrait here at Lord’s, and at the same age Papa was when his name first appeared on the Honours Board, makes the moment even more special. It is a remarkable tribute to his legacy.”

Mark Nicholas, MCC Chair, said: “Jason Brooks has achieved a remarkable thing: he has brought Martin Crowe into the Long Room, it’s all there - the joy, the sadness, the determination, the charm, the fun, the heartache, the career, the person and the intense love he had for the game of cricket and the most famous field on which it is played. Marty now sits proudly alongside many of his contemporaries, and others besides, as one of the most significant cricketers of his own or any other generation. MCC is immensely proud of this work and this man.”