Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Madonna’s younger brother Christopher Ciccone has passed away at the age of 63. Both didn’t only share a personal relationship but were also connected to one another professionally. Christopher had a colorful career trajectory that truly showcased his love for art.
Christopher was born in Bay City, Michigan, on November 22, 1960. It appears that the family had an artistic bug, as in 1980, he began his professional journey as a dancer in Ottawa with Le Groupe De La Place Royale.
Two years later, he joined his sister as her backup dancer and moved to New York. Christopher witnessed Madonna‘s fame, and he began contributing more than just being a backup dancer, as he also became her “dresser,” per Wikipedia.
Along with that, he also took up the opportunity to be an art director for the singer’s Blond Ambition World Tour and also a tour director for The Girlie Show tour. Apart from that, he has also worked with legends like Dolly Parton by directing her music video for Peace Train and also a rendition of God Bless the Child by Tony Bennett, per the website.
But his artistic skills weren’t just limited to that; he also had a bug for painting as well, and seeing this, Madonna reportedly lent him USD 200,000 to purchase a studio, which would help him paint daily. Christopher did give credit to her for her support in encouraging him to pursue his passion for painting.
He achieved a milestone in 1991 when he had his first solo New York art show in SoHo. However, this was not it; he also took up interior designing as the songstress asked him to buy furniture for her new apartment in 1985.
Christopher is the individual behind creatively designing his sister’s Upper West Side apartment in Manhattan, which was also featured in Architectural Digest in 1991. The later artist shot the pilot for Pardon My Decor, an interior design show in 2008.
According to Wikipedia, Christopher’s and his older sibling’s relationship had turned rocky when he released his memoir Life With My Sister Madonna, which debuted at No. 2 on The New York Times Best Seller list. He alleged that his sister had him blacklisted from Hollywood.
But seeingly they resolved their alleged issues because while doing the press for his footwear line in 2012, the late artist said that they were on “personable” terms and that they were “back to being a brother and sister. I don’t work for her, and it’s better this way.”
But this wasn’t it; their relationship had also become strained previously because of finances, and when she tied the knot with Guy Ritchie as Christopher, who was a queer person, she alleged that he was homophobic.
In 2012, he conversed with CBS and said, “Our relationship is fine as far as I’m concerned,” adding, “We are in contact with each other.”
As far as his relationships go, the late artist tied the knot in 2016 with British actor Ray Thacker, who was by his side when he passed away “peacefully” on October 4, per a rep who told People magazine.
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