Toxic art: Portrait of tragic singer Amy Winehouse created using PILLS By Damien Gayle
Last updated at 1:26 PM on 12th August 2011

A U.S.-based artist has courted controversy by creating a portrait of the late soul singer Amy Winehouse using painkiller pills.
Jason Mecier has captured the tragic star in a poignant pose depicted by colourful medications, as part of a series of mosaics inspired by celebrities who battled drug abuse.
Rehab-star Winehouse died at the end of last month, bringing to an end her well publicised battle with crack cocaine, heroin and alcohol.

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Pill-popping portrait: Amy Winehouse, the tragic soul singer who battled drug problems and died last month, has been depicted in this portrait using multicoloured pillsMr Mecier has crafted Winehouse's 17in x 21in portrait using 5,000 multicoloured tablets, a not-too-subtle commentary on the weaknesses that led to her downfall and untimely death.
It captures the star's trademark beehive hairstyle, eccentric eye-shadow and signature mole.
Winehouse appears alongside tragic figures Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger, while reforming addicts Courtney Love and Kelly Osbourne also feature in the series.



Died of an overdose: Singing legend Michael Jackson has also been given the pill mosaic treatment by artist Jason Mecier


Tragic: Actor Heath Ledger died in 2008 from an accidental 'toxic combination of prescription drugs'Mr Mecier had previouly made waves in the art world with his mosaic portraits of famous figures comprising rubbish collected or donated from their homes.
His portrait of Lady GaGa was from her 2009 Hello Kitty shoot but Mecier's interpretation shows her rubbish face against a back drop of green circuit boards and a kermit the frog doll head.
The singer's face was designed out of backs of playing cards, reading glasses, pearls, a dirty knife, pepper sachet and ointment tubes.


Trashy art: San Francisco-based artist Jason Mecier has also used the personal rubbish of celebrities to make mosaic portraits - Lady Gaga's is made from beer bottle tops, casino chips, toothbrushes and cigarette lighters
Mr Mecier says his love of creating art using unusual materials began when he was a child, where he would use beans, noodles and yarn to make artwork to sell at bazaars and scout groups.
Other celebrities who have asked for the portraits include Chris Rock, Pink, Tori Spelling and Chelsea Handler whose portrait includes empty vodka bottles, a Snuggie box, Martini glasses, bottle opener, buttons, batteries, chapstick, dice, pens, badges and movie tickets.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025267/Amy-Winehouse-portrait-created-Jason-Mecier-using-PILLS.html#ixzz1Up4NJm00