Positively Bob Dylan

As the Bob Dylan magazine ISIS reports in its latest issue, there will be an exhibition of original paintings and limited edition prints by Bob Dylan from 14 June 2008. The exhibition will include new, previously unseen works. It will take place at London’s Halcyon Gallery in Mayfair, one of Europe’s leading galleries for contemporary art in its 25th anniversary.
Bob Dylan’s interest in painting was probably influenced by artist Suze Rotolo, Bob’s girlfriend in the early 1960s. Examples of his early works can be found on the covers of his albums of “Self Portrait” (1970) and “Planet Waves” (1974), but only recently he agreed to a very first official exhibition at the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz in Germany from October 2007 until February 2008, entitled “The Drawn Blank Series Watercolor and Gouache Paintings Exhibition”. The initial idea for that came from a book of drawings and sketches done by Dylan from 1989 to 1992, which were published under the title “Drawn Blank” by Random House in 1994. You can read the official press release by Columbia Records here, or take a look at some of the paintings on this page of the Guardian website.

The Steven Kasher Gallery in New York is currently hosting an exhibition of Fred McDarrah’s photographs from the 60’s and 70’s. Among the photos are 6 very rare original gelatin silver prints of Bob Dylan.
The vintage photographies have an average size of 8″x10″ and range in price from $3,000 to $4,000.

“Fred W. McDarrah: Artists and Writers of the 60s and 70s” celebrates the former Village Voice photographer’s 80th birthday. It is the first ever gallery exhibition surveying McDarrah’s work, and the first exhibition ever curated from his entire archive of published and never-before-seen prints.

Fred W. McDarrah was the primary photographer and picture editor at “The Village Voice” during that newspaper’s first thirty years (and he is still with The Voice as Consulting Picture Editor). His pictures were the graphic expression of the United States’ first alternative weekly as it recorded the most vibrant decades of New York City.

Besides Dylan the exhibition also shows iconic images of Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, Jack Kerouac, Martin Scorsese and Elvis among many others. It can be visited through January 6, 2007.

> Steven Kasher Gallery

Come gather round Dylan fans.

“The Times They Are A-Changin’” is a new Bob Dylan inspired circus playing at the Brooks Atkinson theatre on Broadway. A standing ovation greeted the performers at a packed preview performance on September 30.

There was magic in the air from start to finish. The audience was more sedate at the beginning, but there was appreciative hootin’ and hollering that grew.

Eric Clapton made a surprise appearance as he was in The Big Apple for his concert tour. A spotlight shined on Clapton who was playing guitar with the theater company band in a balcony above the stage. I was dancing next to the stage and Clapton imitated my move! He had an amused facial expression and I’m sure mine matched his. Amazing how 30 seconds is likely to stay with me forever!

“Times” will mainly attract Dylan fans as it strings together 26 back to back songs throughout the one hour and a half show. I think this play might also appeal to the poets and dreamers out there, but not to the theater-going set accustomed to a strong story line with the usual dialogue. The story line may be the weakest part of the show for those lacking a love for poetry. It is about a circus family and their personal struggles. There is no talking throughout the show, but the lyrics tell the story.

The song selection is fabulous and spans Dylan’s five decade career. It included some of my all-time favorites, such as “Just Like A Woman”, “Desolation Row”, “On A Night Like This”, “Forever Young”, “I’ll be Your Baby Tonight”, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “Blowing In The Wind”, etc. I won’t give them all away, but there wasn’t a miss in the group.

Twyla Tharp has choreographed a program of acrobatics and dancing that dazzles and breathes new life into deeply poetic lyrics that have withstood the test of time already.

Kudos to the top three actors, Michael Arden, Thom Sesma and Caren Lyn Manuel. They had lovely voices and invoked emotion that was moving. Dylan has said publicly that he never imagined a play could capture the lyrics of his songs as this does.

Let’s face it, Dylan is at the top of his game considering his latest CD. Modern Times was released and skyrocketed to number one on the charts. He’s one of the best songwriters of all time.

May the “Times They Are A-Changin’” soon shake your windows and rattle your walls! This is a must-see for all Dylan fanatics. Even if you’ve never listened to Dylan, this is a stimulating entree into his varied song catalogue.

(By Maureen Shames)

> “The Times They Are A-Changin’” Website

Bob Dylan has been inspiring generations of artists both by his art and his personality. Transcending genres and styles, countless artworks have been created during the past four decades showing Bob Dylan or motives based on his music and biography.
British sculptor Lesley Pover, who has exhibited widely in London and abroad, and whose work includes a larger-than-life size bronze statue of Lord Nelson in Greenwich, and a portrait in bronze of Diana, Princess of Wales, has now added a remarkable piece of work to the catalogue of Dylan-related artworks: “I was thrilled to be given such a charismatic man to portray but, as always happens, the richer and deeper the character, the more elusive and subtle the qualities”, Pover comments on her new bronze life-size head of Bob Dylan. “The humour, pathos, passion and wisdom touched me profoundly and I realised that no-one sings the heart and soul of a Dylan song like Dylan.”
Bob Dylan’s pictures and music accompanied Pover during the process of creation: “Waking or sleeping, dreaming or meditating, his face was in front of me. Photos were blown up and pinned all over my studio, depicting him from 16 years to the present day. The face that finally evolved shows him in his early thirties.”
The artist is offering for sale a limited edition in bronze, and an edition in gilded herculite. If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Laura Crocken Stevens, at laura.stevens@yahoo.co.uk or ++44 795 917004.

> Lesley Pover’s Website