Characterized by frayed fashion, a brooding sense of apathy and
slow, riff-heavy sounds, the grunge era not only soundtracks an
angst-ridden coming of age but moreover defines the general sentiments
of an entire generation. A musical genre unlike any other, grunge took
the aggression of punk and the intensity of heavy metal and added
elements that gave the music its signature grinding, sludgy distortion.
Hitting its commercial stride by the early 90s, "the Seattle sound"
gives rise of a pantheon of grunge gods including but not limited to
Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots and the evergreen Kurt
Cobain once dubbed by
Time as "the John Lennon of the swinging Northwest."
As Nirvana's debut Bleach celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and Soundgarden's Superunknown
turns 25 on March 8th, Morrison Hotel Gallery kicks off Grunge Month in
celebratory recognition of the genre that would provoke an entire pop
cultural movement with the unveiling of Grunge: Rise of a Generation,
a photographic exhibition highlighting the work of Lance Mercer, Jesse
Frohman and many other exceptional photographers who helped define a
cultural phenomenon which continues to resonate with audiences
throughout the world.
Among
the photographs highlighted in the exhibit are images that encapsulate
the unvarnished vibe that ran throughout the grunge scene. There from
the beginning was Seattle-born photographer Lance Mercer who began
documenting what was to be a seismic shift in American music and culture
from its very onset. From 1991 to 1995, Mercer went on tour with Pearl
Jam as their official photographer. During that time, he photographed
the band's elevation to legendary status - Eddie Vedder's raw energy
onstage juxtaposed with him relaxing backstage next to a bottle of
booze, as well as the band posing in a pile on a Seattle hillside. From
Alice in Chains onward, Mercer's stunning work takes viewers back to a
time when dirty and unpolished became the new paradigm in sound and
style.
A
number of other extraordinary photographers were also poised to capture
the grunge movement's visual culture dating back to 1986 when Ebet
Roberts photographed Sonic Youth performing onstage at NYC's CBGB in a
series of shots that would ultimately capture the infancy of the entire
grunge era. Additionally, early images of Soundgarden by Karen
Mason-Blair and Jay Blakesberg resonate with the many reasons the band
would come to define the distinct Seattle sound, whether they show a
long-haired Cornell and crew sweating and whipping the audience into a
frenzy or crowd-surfing across a wave of fans. Furthermore, in one of
the last official photo shoots with Nirvana before the untimely death of
Kurt Cobain, Jesse Frohman captured a series of shots of the front man
swathed in a leopard skin cardigan, hunting cap and oversized enamel
sunglasses covering his head and face. Aloof yet strangely vulnerable
and connected, these portraits draft the legacy of an unlikely icon.
"With Grunge: Rise of a Generation, we are not only celebrating the 30th anniversary of Nirvana's Bleach, the 25th anniversary of Soundgarden's Superunknown,
or those artists whose contributions exist within the time capsule of a
genre; we're also celebrating the durational implications of a cultural
phenomenon," said Marcelle Murdock, Gallery Director.
"Featuring the pioneering contributions of grunge predecessors like
Sonic Youth in dialogue with the usual suspects like Nirvana,
Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Hole, and L7 among others, Grunge: Rise of a Generation
provides the framework for a more holistic yet all-encompassing
conversation between the super famous and the fringes of a definitive
movement's coming-of-age."
In
addition to the exhibition, Jesse Frohman will give a talk on March
14th, at the NYC gallery, where he will discuss his photo shoots with
Cobain and Cornell. His book, Kurt Cobain: The Last Session, will also be available for sale.
"As someone
who came into adulthood within the era, I never imagined the
possibility-much less, the importance-of revisiting the period through
fresh eyes in collaboration with some of my favorite photographers and
artists of all time. With that, I am eager to present this special
exhibition of such social and personal significance this spring at
Morrison Hotel Gallery." adds Murdock.
Grunge: The Rise of a Generation will open to the public on March 8th and will run through March 31st.
Photographers featured in the show:
Richard Bellia
Jay Blakesberg
Justin Borucki
Danny Clinch
Henry Diltz
Jesse Frohman
Lynn Goldsmith
JJ Gonson
Bob Gruen
Karen-Mason Blair
Clay Patrick McBride
Catherine McGann
Lance Mercer
Dustin Rabin
Amy Rachlin
Ebet Roberts
Bands featured in the show:
Alice in Chains
Hole
L7
Mudhoney
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Sonic Youth
Soundgarden
Stone Temple Pilots
About Lance Mercer
Lance
Mercer, born and raised in Seattle, started photographing at 13.
Through his involvement with the local music scene in Seattle,
Washington specifically portraits of the late Andrew Wood, Malfunkshun
and Mother Love Bone, he was invited to tour with Pearl Jam (1991-95) as
their official photographer. This endeavor quickly established him as a
sought-after photographer for a host of other well-known bands
including Alice In Chains, Beck, and The Presidents of the United States
to name a few. Other music clients then followed including projects
for: Epic, Columbia, Capitol, Warner Brothers, Geffen, A&M, Sony,
Microsoft, Redbull, VH1, MTV. Lance's work quickly appeared in
publications like: Rolling Stone, Spin, Time, Vanity Fair, and
Alternative Press among others.
In
1997, he collaborated on a retrospective book of Pearl Jam photographs
called Place/Date, with Seattle photographer Charles Peterson. In 2007,
5X1 Pearl Jam Through the Eye of Lance Mercer was published, further
chronicling Lance's experiences with the early 90's grunge rock era.
Presently,
Lance continues to create striking photographic work with special focus
on documentary, editorial, commercial and music photography.
About Morrison Hotel® Gallery
Morrison
Hotel® Gallery (MHG) was founded in 2001 by former record company
executive Peter Blachley, music retail industry professional Richard
Horowitz, and legendary music photographer Henry Diltz. In 2012, author,
director and photographer Timothy White joined the team, launching an
additional West Coast gallery at The Sunset Marquis Hotel in West
Hollywood. In 2016, the gallery launched its third location at Mick
Fleetwood's General Store in Maui, Hawaii.
MHG
is the world's leading brand in fine art music photography representing
over 125 of the world's finest music photographers and their archives.
Their vast catalog of photography encompasses jazz, blues, and rock
imagery spanning several generations through to today's contemporary
music artists and now includes iconic photographs in the world of
celebrity and sports as well. MHG has a robust online presence,
featuring over 100,000 images searchable by photographer, music artist,
band or concert. www.morrisonhotelgallery.com
Morrison Hotel Gallery
116 Prince Street || New York, NY 10012
212.941.8770
Morrison Hotel Gallery
Sunset Marquis
1200 Alta Loma Road || West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.881.6025
Morrison Hotel Gallery
Fleetwood's General Store
744 Front Street || Lahaina, Hawaii 96761
808.669.6425 (MIC