Hugo Guinness


Hugo Arthur Rundell Guinness is a British artist, illustrator, and writer. He is known for his illustrations in The New York Times and his bold, graphic black-and-white block prints, many of which have appeared in films and publications.

Early life

He was born in London, the youngest child of five and only son of Pauline Vivien and James Edward Alexander Rundell Guinness, CBE, a Second World War veteran of the Royal Navy, who was a banker with Guinness Mahon, the Guinness Peat Group and the Provident Mutual Life Assurance Association, and Chairman of the Public Works Loan Board 1970–90. Hugo Guinness is a member of the "banking line" of the Guinness family, descended from Samuel Guinness, the brother of Arthur Guinness. This line of the Guinness family founded Guinness Mahon in 1836. Among Guinness's siblings are the socialite Sabrina Guinness; Anita Guinness, wife of the late Hon. Amschel Rothschild; and philanthropist Julia Samuel, daughter-in-law of the Viscount Bearsted. Guinness attended Eton College.

Career and style

Guinness was a trainee copywriter for a few weeks at the advertising agency Collett Dickenson Pearce, an investment banker with Guinness Mahon, and the founder of Coldpiece Pottery. Guinness depicts everyday and eclectic objects or phrases in a simplistic but humorous way. His works have appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Vogue. Guinness has also designed apparel for clothing company Pussy Glamour and a range of leather goods for Coach New York. Guinness's works have been collected by people including magazine editor Anna Wintour, the late actor Heath Ledger, actresses Amanda Peet, Natalie Portman, and Michelle Williams, artist Jack Pierson, and most notably director Wes Anderson, with whom Guinness has collaborated on several films.

Film

Guinness' collaboration with Anderson includes artwork in the films The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and providing the voice of Nathan Bunce in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Most recently, Guinness worked with Anderson on the story for The Grand Budapest Hotel, which garnered him a shared nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
In 2015, Guinness created an animated short film for J Crew to raise awareness of ivory poaching.
Guinness also contributed to the BBC Storyville documentary Hi Society – The Wonderful World of Nicky Haslam.

Personal life

Guinness lives in Brooklyn, New York City with his wife, the artist Elliott Puckette, whom he married in December 1996. They have two children, Isabella and Violet.