The legendary Elvis Presley, who died on this day back in 1977, has been celebrated in art for some 50 years by such creative talents as Andy Warhol, Jonas Mekas, and Keith Haring. Meanwhile, his fans have remembered him through lovingly lowbrow works of art. We’ve gathered some of our favorite examples — from a wacky nude of “Elvis the Pelvis” seated on a throne and an explosive matchstick bust of the phenomenal blues man to an eerie vision of the groundbreaking performer in a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich and a striking portrait compiled from illustrated stereo equipment. And of course, no schlock portfolio of Elvis pictures would be complete without “The Hillbilly Cat” captured on a kitschy black velvet canvas in DayGlo paint. Click through our gallery of images and let us know if there are any classic odes that we missed.
Stereo equipment Elvis
Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich Elvis
Elvis sculpture in California’s Legoland
Jesus and Elvis velvet painting
Matchstick Elvis
Elvis as Jesus at the Last Supper, along with fellow rockers Ricky Nelson, Tom Jones, Eddie Cochran, Tommy Steele, Vince Taylor, PJ Proby; Billy Fury, Terry Dene, Richie Valens, Cliff Richard, and Fabian as the apostles eating burgers and drinking Cokes
Elvis and a hound dog sculpted in butter
Elvis hand-painted toilet seat
Elvis Post-It Note Mural
Elvis rental van in Australia
Elvis looking more like Madonna, who was born on August 16, but in 1958
Nude Elvis on his Celestial Throne
Glitterati Elvis
Ted Kennedy Elvis
A lovely Elvis scroll