MUSIC legend Ian Curtis is the inspiration behind a pop artist’s fundraising mission for the Samaritans.
A cartoon impression of the Joy Division icon sitting in a cafe is being sold in a blind auction to boost funds for the charity.
Curtis, who lived and died in Macclesfield, was a well-known sufferer of depression. He took his own life in 1980.
Sheffield-based artist Pete McKee created the painting of the singer sitting in a cafe, currently on display in an exhibition in Chorlton, South Manchester. Pete said: "It’s a serious subject so it’s a hard sell in a way, but I wanted to do something that might help the Samaritans.
"I thought it would be fun to create some of the great moments in Manchester’s musical history."
He added: "I tend to think about what each band’s inspirations were, either through certain lyrics or things that were supposed to have happened or images of their fans, and then draw them in a quirky light-hearted way."
Joan Moor, director of Manchester and Salford Samaritans, said: "Me and a few of our volunteers went to the initial launch and we said how pleased were were that he was donating the money. He was a lovely man. We're especially grateful to people like Pete who think of organisations like the Samaritans."
The paintings, which also include pictures of Peter Hook, Shaun Ryder and The Stone Roses, are being exhibited at Oddest bar in Chorlton, before moving on to the two other city centre bars in the chain, Odd and Odder.
The paintings will be at Oddest on Wilbraham Road, Chorlton until November 4; then at Odd on Thomas in the city centre until December 7; then to Odder January 14. To bid for the picture, I C Cafe, email pete@therealmckee.co.uk before December 1.
