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American Roots Music focus of show by celebrity photographer
August 21, 2006 (Detroit)—Aretha Franklin, The White Stripes, Willie Nelson, Etta James ... and the beat goes on. These are just some of the greats of American music whose images were captured by the keen eye of one of America's most renowned photographers: Annie Leibovitz. The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) presents Annie Leibovitz: American Music from Sept. 24, 2006 to Jan. 7, 2007.
The exhibition features intimate portraits of those who shaped and were influenced by American roots music, which includes folk, blues, country, gospel and bluegrass. American Music includes portraits of individuals from the early history of these rich traditions, as well as younger rap, rock, and contemporary country artists who have been influenced by these legends.
The exhibition presents 70 color and black-and-white portraits of Leibovitz' recent work in addition to several classic images from the late 1970s and 1980s. Detroit music celebrities include rapper Eminem, the “queen of soul,” Aretha Franklin, and rock icons Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, and The White Stripes.
“Annie Leibovitz takes us far beyond the typical celebrity portrait,” said Graham W. J. Beal, DIA director “and depicts individual performers in surroundings that strikingly reinforce character and personality.”
In Detroit, the exhibition is sponsored by LaSalle Bank. “LaSalle Bank is delighted to sponsor the Detroit Institute of Arts' American Music exhibit,” said Mark Hoppe, chief executive officer at LaSalle Bank. “For more than 113 years, LaSalle Bank has been committed to sustaining the communities where we live, just as Annie Leibovitz has forever immortalized classic American artists so beautifully in her photographs.”
Leibovitz has created casual, formal, and whimsical portrayals of music personalities in settings as diverse as juke joints, recording studios, hotel rooms, rehearsal spaces, city streets and the expansive American landscape. Country singer Emmylou Harris appears against an ethereal twilight sky. Johnny Cash strums guitar with daughter Roseanne on their family porch in Virginia. Grammy award-winning rap artist Missy Elliot appears larger-than-life in diamonds and fur.
Leibovitz captures many of the artists in rehearsals and performances or in more personal settings as seen in a candid view of Delta bluesman Johnnie Billington in the midst of a music lesson with students at his Mississippi school. She also presents stark depictions of longtime musical performers, such as the black-and-white portraits of Willie Nelson and rocker Iggy Pop. To Leibovitz, their faces appear like “road maps” of their lives. She personally recalls her encounters, perceptions and the history of these legendary figures in the audio tour that accompanies the exhibition.
An early interest in music and its personalities emerged when Leibovitz began photographing for Rolling Stone magazine in 1970. She was the chief photographer from 1973 to 1983, then joined the staff of Vanity Fair. She is currently a contributor to The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Vogue. Leibovitz's book American Music is available in the museum shop for $44.95 in soft cover.
The DIA is changing up its popular Friday nights for the run of this exhibition. Macy's American Music Fridays will occur every Friday night, featuring a mix of national and local acts, some of whose portraits are included in the show. Among the performers are Tish Hinojosa, acclaimed contemporary Latin and folk artist; five-time Grammy-winner Flaco Jimenez; folk artist Dan Zanes, formerly of the Del Fuegos; Detroit's own Dirtbombs; and El Vez—the Mexican Elvis, performing his special holiday extravaganza.
The Detroit Film Theatre will feature music-related films in conjunction with the exhibition. Among them are the world premier of It Came from Detroit, a documentary exploring the raw energy of the modern Detroit garage band scene. Included are The White Stripes, the Dirtbombs and Brendan Benson. Following the film, the bands The Witches and Outrageous Cherry will perform live; tickets are $10. New York Doll, a new documentary about New York Dolls bass player Arthur "Killer" Kane culminates in an onscreen reunion of the surviving members (David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain, and Kane) and a moving performance at the 2004 Morrissey Meltdown. Appearances by Morrissey, Chrissie Hynde, Bob Geldorf, Iggy Pop and more.
Exhibition tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 6-17, and $8 per person for groups of 20 or more. Tickets include an audio tour and museum admission, and will be available beginning Sept. 5 at the DIA Box Office and online at dia.org.
Annie Leibovitz: American Music is organized by Experience Music Project, Seattle and all works are courtesy of Annie Leibovitz. In Detroit, the exhibition has been made possible by a generous grant from LaSalle Bank. Additional support provided by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the City of Detroit.
Museum hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Admission is a donation. We recommend $4 for adults and $1 for children. DIA members are admitted free. For membership information call 313-833-7971.
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 60,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera's world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA's collection is known for its quality, range and depth.
The DIA is currently undergoing a major renovation, scheduled for completion in late 2007. The museum remains open with a dynamic schedule of programs and activities for all ages. Visitors can enjoy some of the DIA's “greatest hits” while the museum prepares for an entirely new installation when renovations are completed.
PHOTO: Emmylou Harris, Franklin, Tennessee, 2001. Copyright © 2001 by Annie Leibovitz.
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