The Morrison Hotel Gallery says:

We are very excited to present Jesse's amazing Kurt Cobain photographic collection at our SoHo Gallery on April 5th. While earning a degree in economics at the University of Michigan, Jesse Frohman picked up a camera and never put it down. When he returned to New York, he had no formal training or experience, but he did have a portfolio of platinum prints, which caught the interest of legendary photographer Irving Penn, who hired Jesse to manage his studio.

It was an incomparable apprenticeship. To the techniques and aesthetics he learned from Penn, Jesse added his own sensibilities of strength, dignity and quiet energy, all of which are evident in his pictures.

Jesse has photographed countless celebrities and still lifes. In addition to his work for magazines, advertising, and recording companies, he has been commissioned to create two award-winning books. His work is also in many private collections.

The exhibit will be open to the public from April 6th through Aprol 23rd at the 124 Prince Street gallery.

Jarvis Cocker, Mike Nouveau and others will DJ, along with a live set by the Virgins, at the opening night afterparty at Tribeca Grand, a Grand Life hotel.

Grand Life has an article talks more about the pictures at the gallery (via).

In related news, Courtney Love is planning on auctioning off some paintings made by Kurt Cobain (if she's alllowed), and "Clint Eastwood's 'A Star is Born' Remake is Really About Kurt Cobain" (via).

Kurt Cobain's life ended on April 5, 1994.

Want a piece of art by the Les Savy Fav frontman? Want it for free? Keep reading...

Continue reading "Tim Harrington giving away free art"

photos by Eric M. Townsend

"I have never had any romantic, personal or financial involvement with Courtney Love. She is confusing me with her ex, who produced my Rock n Roll record, which was financed solely by Universal Music." - Ryan Adams to Gawker

Ryan Adams, clad in a Kreator t-shirt, was on hand for the opening of an exhibit of his paintings at Morrison Hotel Gallery (313 Bowery) in NYC last night (9/23). His friend Jesse Malin, who among other things, co-owns the bar Bowery Electric, which is on the same block (and where the afterparty was), was on hand to play auctioneer. The auction raised money for Housing Works. The paintings will stay on display at the gallery for a month starting today (Thursday September 24th).

You can also catch Ryan in person this Friday at the New York Public Library. Maybe he'll go see Polvo at the Bell House tonight. More pictures from the art opening, below....

Continue reading "Ryan Adams opened his art exhibition @ Morrison Hotel Gallery w/ guest auctioneer Jesse Malin (pics) "

DOWNLOAD: Polvo - Beggar's Bowl (MP3)

"I just pre-ordered the new Polvo -check out the stream at Merge- So Amazing" -Ryan Adams

art by Ryan Adams

Ryan Adams will be the first artist in residence at the Morrison Hotel Gallery (313 Bowery) for three weeks leading up to an exhibit of his work, which opens September 23rd (which I guess means, despite a "for lease" sign on the window, the gallery isn't going anywhere yet). During that time, Adams will be "creating additional canvases in the front of the gallery to be auctioned off at the opening. Proceeds from the auction will go to benefit the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, a nonprofit organization committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness."

Adams' paintings are in addition to his recent moves as an author. His first book of short stories and poetry, Infinity Blues, came out in April, and his second, Hello Sunshine, is due in December (or September if you pre-ordered).

Last week, some speculated that Adams, a self-professed metal fan, was the mystery artist behind The Awl's hair-metal-inspired theme song, posted on August 18th. The site has since posted a punk remix of the song.

Polvo performs at the Bell House in Brooklyn on September 24th. Will Ryan perform music at the September 23rd Morrison Hotel Gallery opening? I'm not sure, but there is no mention of it (best to assume no). Some more of Ryan's paintings, and all Polvo dates, below...

Continue reading "Ryan Adams - enjoying Polvo, showing artwork @ Morrison Hotel Gallery in NYC, wrote some books & (possibly) a song"

by Andrew Frisicano

Dan Graham (blue stripes), Thurston & Kim? @ the MOCA (ricardodiaz11)

Dan Graham has been a central figure in contemporary art since the 1960s. [Dan Graham: Beyond], his first American retrospective, traces the evolution of his art from his early conceptual projects and performances, to his films and videos, architectural projects and pavilions, and sculptures as well as his collaborations with musicians and rock bands such as Sonic Youth and Japanther.

Graham (b. 1942) has been a central participant in the development of contemporary art since the 1960s --- from the rise of minimalism, conceptual art, video art, and performance art, to explorations of architecture and the public sphere, to collaborations with musicians and the culture of rock and roll. [press release]

Dan Graham: Beyond will be on display at the Whitney Museum of Art from June 25th to October 11th.

Graham has a strong connection to the rock and avant music world. As the press release below documents, Graham has written about bands like the Kinks, the Fall (who recently signed to Domino Records), and the Sex Pistols. And his hour-long "video-essay" Rock My Religion (1982-84) uses "footage of Patti Smith, Sonic Youth, and Black Flag, mingled with historical images of a rapt Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker religion to trace a continuum between the Shakers, the early-American religious sect that sought spiritual transcendence through collective dance and song, and rock music."

Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore performed as Mirror/Dash at Beyond's debut opening at L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art in February. The pair also joined Graham for a panel discussion as part of that event (video below).

During Beyond's run in New York, the Whitney will host a series of free Friday concerts. The shows, held in the museum's Lower Gallery, are scheduled for July 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31th at 7pm. No word on who specifically, but the museum writes, "These events feature young bands that have inherited the New York rock scene from bands that Dan Graham has written about and/or worked with, such as The Feelies, Television, and Sonic Youth. As always, admission to the Whitney on Friday evenings is pay-what-you-wish from 6 to 9pm."

Last year, the Whitney's free shows included Dan Deacon on February 8th, May and April Biennial-related-shows by Gang Gang Dance and Lucky Dragons, and four free Wordless Music showsin June (with Prefuse 73, Times New Viking and others).

Other plans for the Graham exhibit include:

A music event to kick off the series; the U.S. premiere of "Put Blood in the Music" (1989), an experimental documentary on the late-nineties New York downtown music scene, introduced by filmmaker Charles Atlas; a conversation between Dan Graham and Glenn Branca, followed by a screening of Graham's "Westkunst (Modern Period): Dan Graham Segment" (1980); and a roundtable discussion exploring key themes in the work, such as sound, perception, and performance.

Among Dan's music related works on view in the show will be the above-mentioned "Rock My Religion" (which features music by Glenn Branca and Sonic Youth), and "Minor Threat", a 38 minute video of the band performing at CBGB.

The Feelies will play an acoustic set at the Whitney on Friday, June 26th (presumably the 'music event to kick off the series').

We recently talked about The Feelies' continued reunion - including their big show last July 4th (when they played with Sonic Youth). Other upcoming dates for the Feelies include July 3rd & 4th at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ (tickets on sale) and September 11th at ATP NY, where the band will perform its debut Crazy Rhythms in full (tickets on sale).

The above-mentioned videos of Dan Graham talking with Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, Mirror/Dash live, and an interview with Graham, all from his L.A. MoCA exhibit earlier this year, plus full Whitney press release, below...

Continue reading "Dan Graham exhibit @ The Whitney, The Feelies performing"

BOSTON -- A street artist famous for his red, white and blue "Hope" posters of President Obama has been arrested on warrants accusing him of tagging property with graffiti, police said Saturday.

Shepard Fairey was arrested Friday night on his way to the Institute of Contemporary Art for a kickoff event for his first solo exhibition, called "Supply and Demand."

Two warrants were issued for Fairey on Jan. 24 after police determined he'd tagged property in two locations with graffiti based on the Andre the Giant street art campaign from his early career, Officer James Kenneally said. One of the locations was the railroad trestle by the landmark Boston University bridge over the Charles River, police said.

Fairey, 38, of Los Angeles, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Brighton District Court, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney. Wark said Fairey would also be arraigned on a default warrant related to a separate graffiti case in the Roxbury section of Boston. [Huffington Post]

This comes less than a week after the Associated Press sent their lawyers after Shepard for Obama-image copyright infringement.

This not the first time Shepard has been arrested - not even close. That's one of many subjects he talks about in his interview with Henry Rollins that you can watch in the videos below...

Continue reading "Shepard Fairey arrested in Boston on the way to his opening"

On buttons, posters and Web sites, the image was everywhere during last year's presidential campaign: A pensive Barack Obama looking upward, as if to the future, splashed in a Warholesque red, white and blue and underlined with the caption HOPE.

Designed by Shepard Fairey, a Los-Angeles based street artist, the image has led to sales of hundreds of thousands of posters and stickers, has become so much in demand that copies signed by Fairey have been purchased for thousands of dollars on eBay.

The image, Fairey has acknowledged, is based on an Associated Press photograph, taken in April 2006 by Manny Garcia on assignment for the AP at the National Press Club in Washington.

The AP says it owns the copyright, and wants credit and compensation. Fairey disagrees. [Yahoo News]

In related news, Shepard is appearing at Coachella, he did some work for N.A.S.A., he made a Bad Brains poster, and he recently appeared on the Charlie Rose show. Video below...

Continue reading "AP says Shepard Fairey's Obama poster infringes copyright"

live shots by Zach Stern, portraits by Zach Dilgard

Comedian Judah Friendlander auctioned off bad art. Xiu Xiu performed a set, as a trio, last night at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC - all part of NY Mag's latest event in their series of hip events (11/19). The next one involves Ted Leo, Andrew WK and karaoke. More pictures from the auction, including many examples of the masterpieces that you may now own, below...

Continue reading "Bad Art Auction (Judah Friedlander & Xiu Xiu) @ LPR - pics"

Speaking of needing ways to fund the ever-increasing cost of touring, Cloud Cult has an ingenious method (though not necessarily an original one) for making extra cash at shows. A painter (usually Craig's wife) paints a painting on stage while the band is playing. Then they silent-auction the painting off to the crowd. Not only does the winner get a unique piece of merch to remember the show by, Cloud Cult makes decent money - probably more than they make from ticket sales at some shows. Someone told me they've sold them for as high as $2000, and they always seem to sell for at least a few hundred dollars at the shows I'm at.

They painted the above one the other day on the Carson Daly show, and now everyone has the chance to buy it.

A picture of the one they painted at their last Brooklyn show at Union Hall is below...

Continue reading "buy Cloud Cult's Carson Daly painting on eBay"

photos by Ryan Muir

M.I.A. played the same benefit that Special Disco Version did on Tuesday night ("to support the Museum's award-winning educational programs and the care, study, and exhibition of its collection") (June 10, 2008). M.I.A. also played a much bigger and more public and proper show at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn a few nights earlier. At MoMA, the cheapest ticket was $250.

I talked to one person who was at MoMA (but not at the black tie dinner that preceeded the dance party). They said...

It was really fun. The venue was spectacular. The show was so incredibly different from McCarren Pool. MIA didn't start until after 11. I think she's delightful and has an infectious energy no matter the setting, but this was definitely a performance that was catered to the event and the crowd. No wacky outfits, no political videos, no questions about whether we were choosing money or people, etc. Her mic didn't seem to be turned up enough, so her vocals sounded muddled at times. She made a comment about elitism that ironically elicited cheers and she asked the crowd if they had an extra $10 to donate to [didn't catch the cause]. The sightlines kind of sucked for a show with so much movement as there were two large poles on either side of the stage that frequently covered her. I'd say that about 30% of the attendees knew who she was. Again, so different from McCarren.

The crowd was fascinating. Black tie and cocktail dresses. Not my usual scene, obviously, but great people watching.

The stage background was decorated with charts and graphs depicting things like mortality and starvation rates. Like at McCarren, M.I.A. was joined on stage by Afrikan Boy (who told "anybody in the crowd with more than one dollar in they pocket to make some noise"). Unlike at McCarren, M.I.A. was joined on stage by Mos Def. He helped sing "Paper Planes". More pics from the party HERE and below.....

Continue reading "M.I.A., Mos Def & Afrikan Boy @ MoMA's Garden Party - pics"

photos by Ryan Muir

M.I.A. will give gave an exclusive benefit performance--to support the Museum's award-winning educational programs and the care, study, and exhibition of its collection--at the Party in the Garden After-Dinner Dance on Tuesday, June 10th, from 9 PM-midnight (10:30 PM performance), at The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, Manhattan.

The evening will also feature featured a DJ performance by 'Special Disco Version' featuring James Murphy and Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem.

The M.I.A. pictures are coming. In the meantime, pleaes enjoy some champagne....

Continue reading "James Murphy & Pat Mahoney @ MoMA's Garden Party - pics"

Neighborhood artists will open their studios Saturday June 7th and Sunday the 8th from 12 to 7pm. Hundreds of artists will be showing work in their own studios and in group shows at venues in the neighborhood. There will also be dozens of artist-organized events throughout the weekend.

Crossing the Line, an innovative exhibition featuring original prints and provocative recordings by prominent artists and art world figures, including Eric Fischl, Daniel Johnston and Andy Warhol, will open at the June Kelly Gallery on Saturday, June 21. The works will remain on view through August 1.

Organized by Jeff Gordon, who has been producing original sound recordings of leading visual artists since the early 1980s, the exhibition also highlights Connie Beckley, Ivan Karp, Carter Ratcliff and Path Soong. Beckley, Fischl, Johnston and Soong contribute prints to the exhibition.

Gordon says that in all but one of the recordings "the human voice becomes the instrument of insight, information, humor, poetry and memory."....

You'll notice that the previously-listed Daniel Johnston "art event" coincides with the opening date of this exhibition which is one day after Daniel plays Warsaw. Stay tuned for more details on that. Read more about the art exhibition HERE.

"An $8 million painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat has been located in a Manhattan warehouse after apparently being smuggled out of Brazil, federal prosecutors said." [Yahoo]