“Dirty deeds, done.” - Adrian O'Brien

“Dirty deeds, done.” by Adrian O'Brien

This image— “Dirty deeds, done.”—represents an exciting new chapter for me creatively, as it’s a departure from the ethereal, black-and-white landscapes for which I am most known.

It’s the first in a series of cinematic photographs that takes inspirations from songs. As a guitarist and commercial music photographer, my life has been profoundly influenced by music. I am fascinated by the moods, stories, characters, and visuals that are conjured in our minds when we listen to favourite songs, and how widely our interpretations can vary. That’s what this series is all about.

The inspiration for this image was the early AC/DC classic “Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap”, penned by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and the late Bon Scott. A satire of our violent culture, it’s sung from the perspective of a hitman, who invites anyone listening who has a problem to give him a call and assures them that he can perform all manner of unsavoury act for minimal cost.

Adrian O'Brien is a commercial and fine art photographer who is based in Vancouver, Canada. With his work in the music industry, he has had the opportunity to photograph artists such as AC/DC, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Foo Fighters, Queen, Motley Crue, Slash, Tom Morello, Chris Cornell, and Shania Twain. His artist portraits and live concert photographs have been published globally. 

Alongside his music photography, Adrian developed a passion for abstract, landscape photography. His 2010 solo exhibition, "Rivers", explored 26 of British Columbia's rivers, photographed over a 5-year period. He was also a featured artist the 2010 Fashion-Music-Art (FMA) Awards. 2016 saw another solo exhibition, “Convergence”, which explored man-made structures on natural waterways. In 2020, he partnered with actor and activist Pamela Anderson to produce a solo exhibition of new works at the Chali-Rosso Gallery.

Original Photograph, Archival Inkjet Print on Cotton Rag

Limited Edition - 1 of 5

Size: 52.5"W x 37"H
Year: 2023
Artist: Adrian O'Brien