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"Touch me I'm Sick": The Rock n' roll photographs of Charles Peterson
the CMA hosts first museum exhibition for Seattle photographer
february 4 - may 1, 2005
Charles Peterson (American, b. 1964) |
The Chrysler Museum of Art is pleased to present the
first museum exhibition for photographer Charles Peterson. Opening February
4, Touch Me I’m Sick: Rock ‘n’ Roll Photographs
by Charles Peterson will be on view at the Museum through May 1.
A burgeoning photographer in the 1980s and early 90s, Peterson found
himself at the center of an explosive underground music scene that began
in the quiet Northwest city of Seattle—this movement came to be
known as the extraordinary phenomenon of “Grunge.” A friend
of many of the musicians and individuals involved, Peterson not only
became an intimate eyewitness to the birth of this electrifying new
era in music, but also contributed to its world-wide influence through
his photographs. “Grunge,” a hybrid mix of ‘60s garage
rock, heavy metal, and ‘70s punk, revived the original spirit
of rock and roll consequently rescuing legions of bored music fans.
In the years since the Grunge revolution there has not been an equivalent
youth culture movement on this scale and Peterson not only helped to
define it, but captured it forever on film. His images document the
raw power of live performances by musicians on the eve of fame. Peterson
does not rely on the cult of celebrity to tell this compelling tale
of angst, anxiety, and acoustics; but rather, his photographs capture
the cathartic ritual between musicians and fans played out in small
clubs in relative anonymity.
The exhibition will include approximately 50 photographs from this period
in Peterson’s career featuring such bands as Nirvana, Mudhoney,
Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Hole, Black Flag, Fugazi, and Sonic Youth, among
others. This exhibition, like his recent Touch Me I’m Sick book (November 2003, powerHouse Books) is designed with the intention
of its being exciting and informative to people who have never experienced
a rock show—with an enhanced multimedia presentation including
music and videos from the era. For the viewer, Peterson’s photography
is truly distinctive because of his proximity to the musicians and the
method in which he captures the performances visually. In anticipation
of his first museum exhibition, Peterson says, “I always imagined
that someday my photography could reside in a museum—to paraphrase
the Rolling Stones, it's not only rock and roll.... Touch Me I'm
Sick was made for both the fanatic and the uninitiated, with the
latter being the more exciting to reach. Good documentary photography
can intimate an experience of our world without needing any previous
personal knowledge by the viewer. Here are the sights, sounds and smells
of American underground rock and roll as I lived it.”
The Chrysler’s Curator of Photography, Brooks
Johnson, agrees the photos make an impact and speak for themselves.
He says, “With images of this nature, it is rare to find a single
photographer whose work defined the visual persona of an entire musical
movement from its inception. Therefore we felt that his unique body
of work documenting this extraordinary scene was worthy of a solo exhibition
at the Chrysler.”
Charles Peterson’s photographs have graced hundreds of record
covers and appeared in publications worldwide including The New
York Times, The Village Voice, Newsweek, People,
Rolling Stone, Spin, Entertainment Weekly,
Guitar World, and New Musical Express. He has also
published two previous photography books: Screaming Life: A Chronicle
of the Seattle Music Scene (Harper Collins) and Pearl Jam:
Place/Date (Rizzoli/Vitalogy with Lance Mercer) and his work is
a part of the permanent collections of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in Cleveland and the Experience Music Project in Seattle.
The "Warm It” concert series will kick-off the Charles Peterson exhibition with an opening party on Thursday, February 3. At 7 p.m. Mr. Peterson will give a slide talk about his famous photographs and his experiences in Seattle during the “Grunge” years followed by a book signing. Copies of his recent photography book, Touch Me I’m Sick (powerhouse Books), will be available in the Museum Shop. In addition to live music, there will be food, wine, beer, and select mixed drinks. Cost of admission is free for FAS members, $5 Museum members, & $8 for all others.
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Photo Contest: How to Judge A Band by Its
Cover
Photography and music fans are encouraged to submit entries to this
unique contest. In the spirit of Charles Peterson’s photographs,
entrants are challenged to capture their favorite band or musicians
on film. Categories include: live photos; posed photos; and manipulated
photos. Photos may be submitted in either analog or digital format and
may not exceed 11” × 14”. All entries will be shown
at the Museum on Sunday, April 24; winning entries will also be published
in Ninevolt magazine. Please send or hand deliver entries to
Ninevolt, c/o Photo Contest, 258 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA
23510. Download an entry form.
(PDF format) For more information and , please contact the Chrysler’s
Education Department at 333-6268 or kmcmillan@chrysler.org.
A full schedule of of programming is offered in conjunction with this special exhibition.
“Touch Me I’m Sick”: The Rock n’ Roll Photographs of Charles Peterson is sponsored by For Art’s Sake: Young Affiliates of the Chrysler. Media sponsorship is provided by Ninevolt Magazine.
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For general information, please call (757) 664-6200. For media information, please contact the Public Relations Department at (757) 333-6295 or publicrelations@chrysler.org.
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