Who Shot Rock & Roll
Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present was the first major museum exhibition of Rock music photography. The exhibit was organized by guest curator Gail Buckland at the Brooklyn Museum in 2009.[1]
The exhibition toured from 2009-2013 visiting the Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn, New York), Worcester Art Museum (Worcester, Massachusetts), Memphis Brooks Museum of Art (Memphis, Tennessee), Akron Art Museum (Akron, Ohio), Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia, South Carolina), Birmingham Museum of Art (Birmingham, Alabama), Tucson Museum of Art (Tucson, Arizona), Allentown Art Museum (Allentown, Pennsylvania), Annenberg Space for Photography (Los Angeles, California)[2] and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki (Auckland, New Zealand).
Exhibit
The exhibit was a collaboration between Gail Buckland and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, after the museum learned she was writing a book focusing on the photographers behind iconic rock-and-roll photographs. Buckland states in the preface to her book (also named, Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955-Present), "The Brooklyn Museum... invited me to work with them to develop and curate the most exciting museum show of rock-and-roll photography ever produced. The book serves as the catalogue to this landmark exhibition."[3]
The exhibition is in six sections: behind the scenes; career beginnings; live performances; crowds and fans; portraits; images and album covers.[4] The exhibit covers over 50 years of rock-and-roll history and encompasses 175 works from more than 100 photographers.[5]
Blondie played the opening party on October 29, 2009. Debbie Harry changed her hair color to brunette for the occasion.[6]
The Los Angeles exhibit features an original short documentary film produced exclusively for the Annenberg Space for Photography, directed by Steven Kochones of Arclight Productions. Shown in 4K resolution, the film presents more than 600 photographs, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
Quotes
“I’m not that interested in celebrity,” Buckland said, “Substance and creativity is what interests me. If rock and roll is anything, it’s supposed to be real. That what holds it together, it’s an expression of something deep and honest within us. I chose photos that tell the story with a degree of honesty.”[7]
Photographers
Images from more than 100 photographers are exhibited including:
- Bob Gruen
- Pennie Smith
- Gered Mankowitz
- Kate Simon
- Jill Furmanovsky
- Linda McCartney
- Ian Dickson
- Diane Arbus
- William PoPsie Randolph
- Albert Watson
- Annie Leibovitz
- Andreas Gursky
- Michael Putland
- Baron Wolman
- Henry Diltz
- Andy Earl
- Barry Feinstein
- Max Vadukul
- Richard Avedon
- Lynn Goldsmith
- Ed Caraeff
- Ryan McGinley
- Maripol
- Dennis Hopper
- Elaine Mayes
- Jerry Schatzberg
- Astrid Kirchherr
- James Mollison
- Valerie Jodoin Keaton
- Robert Whitaker
Reviews
- Johnson, Ken (October 29, 2009). "Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It?". Art & Design. New York Times.
- Eagle, Ben (October 30, 2009). ""Who Shot Rock And Roll" Opens at the Brooklyn Museum". blog. Huffington Post.
- Parent, Marie-Joëlle (October 30, 2009). "I love Rock&Roll". ENT. CANOE.
- Chiu, David (October 30, 2009). "Museum Exhibit Showcases Best of Rock Photography". Spinner.com. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- Kott, Crispin (October 29, 2009). "Who Shot Rock and Roll?". Freeze Frame. Chronogram Magazine. Retrieved 2009-11-02. (book review)
- Colurso, Mary (July 1, 2011). "'Who Shot Rock & Roll'? Answers aplenty in stellar photo exhibit at Birmingham Museum of Art". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
References
- ^ "Brooklyn Museum:Exhibitions: Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present". 2009. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
- ^ "Who Shot Rock and Roll: Tour Schedule with Dates". Retrieved 2011-06-21.
- ^ Buckland, Gail (2009). Who Shot Rock and Roll: A Photographic History, 1955-Present. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-27016-0.
- ^ Birmingham Museum of Art (2011). "Who Shot Rock and Roll". Retrieved 2011-06-20.
- ^ "Who Shot Rock and Roll at the Columbia Museum of Art". Retrieved 2011-06-21.
- ^ "Who's that girl? Blondie turns into Brownie as she ditches her iconic 70s hairdo". Daily Mail. October 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- ^ "Rock Photos Take Center Stage At Brooklyn Museum". blog. WNYC. Oct 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
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External links
- http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/rock_and_roll/
- The Art of Rock’ N’ Roll NY Times slideshow
- Who Shot Rock and Roll NPR Morning Edition report (mp3)
- Who Shot Rock and Roll Exhibition at Brooklyn Museum Jianai Jenny Chen's photos from the opening night.
- VH1 Super Exclusives: Who Shot Rock & Roll? footage from launch party
- Who Shot Rock and Roll MSNBC interview w/ Gail Buckland, November 10, 2009.
- Who Shot Rock & Roll at the Birmingham Museum of Art
- Who Shot Rock & Roll at the Akron Art Museum
- Who Rock and Roll at the Worcester Art Museum
- Who Shot Rock & Roll at the Columbia Museum of Art
- Who Shot Rock & Roll at the Tucson Museum of Art
- gailbuckland.com
- Annenberg Space for Photography
- Who Shot Rock & Roll at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki