That’s one way to cope. On the heels of his divorce from Angelina Jolie, actor Brad Pitt is honing his art skills under the tutelage of British sculptor Thomas Houseago, according to the British tabloid the Daily Mail.
The 53-year-old actor is reportedly spending marathon sessions of up to 15 hours a day in Houseago’s Los Angeles studio, staying long after the artist’s assistants have called it a day.
“Art is a way for him to concentrate on one thing, taking his mind off everything else,” an unnamed source hypothesized to the Mail, adding that Pitt is “learning at a fast pace.”
The tabloid speculates that Pitt was inspired to become a sculptor himself after attending a conversation between Houseago and Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea, in which Houseago spoke of his own personal difficulties. (The event was at the Broad art museum, and is archived on Facebook Live.) Evidently, Pitt and Houseago live near each other in the same “exclusive compound” and “have been friends for some time.”
Pitt’s newfound passion for sculpting has even taken precedence over Hollywood’s annual award season. Aside from a brief appearance at the Golden Globes in January, Pitt blew off all other ceremonies and galas. He even skipped the Oscars despite being one of the producers of Best Picture winning film “Moonlight.”
But Pitt’s interest in art is long-standing.Two years ago, he was spotted visiting Berlin gallery Sprüth Magers to see Ed Ruscha’s “Metro Mattress” exhibition, which featured drawings of discarded mattresses to invoke Los Angeles’ urban landscape. Together, Pitt and Jolie amassed a collection that has been estimated to be worth $25 million. Prior to the couple’s well-publicized split, they acquired pieces from artists such as Marcel Dzama, Banksy, Ed Ruscha, Richard Serra, and Neo Rauch.