Lightning Bolt
Paper Rad
Scritti Politti
100 Flowers
Dan Seltzer/Acute Records
Kayrock Screenprinting
Social Registry
Carlo McCormic
Troubleman
Hanna of Little Cakes
Barry London
Bill Bronson
Joe Show of WFMU
Erik Z.
War Slut
Sonic Youth
NINJA
black dice
Gang Gang Dance
Oneida
EX-Models
Silt Breeze Records
Skull flower
Neil Hamburger
Mikey Wild
The Triple-C
Endometriosis
Dead C
Mike Goodstein
Diego
Casey of EAT Records
It emphasizes the care in producing a total work of art in which the music becomes part of a synthesis including visual and audio representation in regards to style, fashion and the underground. The show features hundreds of handmade, tape and CD covers, from various artists, collectors, labels and bands- spanning.
A Show of Handmade Record Covers
Art of Music pays tribute to those who appreciate, collect and make
handmade record art. It emphasizes the care in producing “a total
work of art” in which the music becomes part of a synthesis
including visual and audio representation in regards to style,
fashion and the underground. The show features hundreds of handmade,
original, and limited edition Record, tape and CD covers, from
various artists, collectors, labels and bands- spanning across a
variety of eras, genres and styles.
With work from Lightning Bolt, Paper Rad, Scritti Politti, 100
Flowers, Dan Seltzer/Acute Records, Kayrock Screenprinting, Social
Registry, Carlo McCormich,Troubleman, Hanna of Little Cakes, Barry
London, Bill Bronson, Joe Show of WFMU, Erik Z., War Slut, kara
bohnenstiel,USA is a Monster, Sonic Youth, NINJA, black dice, Gang
Gang Dance, Vietnam,Oneida, EX-Models, Silt Breeze Records, Skull
flower, Neil Hamburger, Mikey Wild, The Triple-C, Endometriosis, Dead
C, Mike Goodstein, Allison Awesome color, Diego, Casey of EAT
Records, and many, many more
Through out the modern era music has tended to follow, at varying
degrees, two paths, the mainstream and the underground. The latter
tends to speak to a set of ideals and beliefs about the direction of
subculture. Though it comes from different political and social
ambitions underground music ranging from early jazz to punk to
experimental noise has always depicted a necessity for change. Thus
making music an equalizer, a language in which the “hip” from
varying styles can communicate their recognized dissatisfaction with
the status-quo. But, beyond the music, there is a particular
aesthetic associated with the underground, be it silk screening,
xerox copies, brown bags, hand drawn, letter pressed- there is a
sense of love put into the work- not just the music but the entire
work of art, the fashion, the show.
Gesamtkunstwerk-or “a total work of art” was a term coined by
Richard Wagner, while describing his dissatisfaction with the turn of
the century opera scene. In his mind it was sadly lacking all the
parts needed to fully move the viewer to catharsis, he imagined that
a Gesamtkunstwerk would take the musical, visual, and performance
aspects into synthesis.
The term was also used by the Vienna Secessionists who objected to
the conservatism of mainstream art and wanted to create objects
outside the confines of academic tradition. Their style is known for
it’s attention to detail and ornamentation that kept to the idea
that "to every age its art and to art its freedom.” Making them a
forerunner of the underground movements that altered history through
out the twentieth century.
In the Art of Music Secret Project Robot emphasizes the totality of
the scene. The idea that a group of artists, musicians, collectors,
labels and viewers, take time to create, find, and purchase music
that is also art that also speaks to a particular aesthetic of style
and people- and a desire for more. It is representative of a group
that appreciates the time and effort it takes to make each piece by
hand.
The Art of Music celebrates that one may purchase a record containing
original art by many famous artists and musicians for affordable
prices- make collecting part of the the Gesamtkunstwerk, and the
underground.
Image Oneida
Opening Saturday July 21st 7pm to 10pm
Secret Project Robot
210 Kent Ave - New York
Free admission