By Lisa DiCarlucci
Music and art lovers alike will appreciate the artistry and originality of the University’s newest exhibit, “Paper Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Featured in Calkins Hall’s Rosenberg gallery, the exhibit displays silkscreened posters advertising bands and gigs from the personal collection of Bez Ocko, an associate professor at the University.
The “Paper Rock ‘n’ Roll” show opened Wednesday, Nov. 12, and will run until Dec. 9. It features about 75 posters from popular bands to the more obscure artists, depending on one’s taste. Bands featured include, Queens of the Stone Age, Gogol Bordello, The Shins, Franz Ferdinand, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Brand New.
Each poster featured is a hand-printed, limited edition and were designed by several of the top poster designers in the United States and Canada. These designers included Aesthetic Apparatus, Invisible Creature, Patent Pending and Stereotype Design.
Anyone approaching the exhibit with thoughts of typical merchandised band posters will be pleasantly surprised by the originality and artistry of these works. Ranging from psychedelic to graphic to pop-art in nature, each poster is a bold expression. The room is incredibly bright and marries the worlds of fine art and rock ‘n’ roll, offering a fresh look at gig posters as a medium and an aesthetic.
On the whole, each poster was designed to be sold as a work of art and inspired by genuine admiration for the bands. The artists and the designers did not necessarily have financial ties with the bands, but more so designed each poster for the sake of the creative expression and love of the music.
“It’s like fandom,” described Ocko, curator and owner of the collection.
Paper Rock ‘n’ Roll will be on display at the Rosenberg Gallery through December 9. Viewing hours are Monday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday 1 to 5:30 p.m.,Wednesday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Paper Rock and Roll exhibit in Calkins Hall’s Rosenberg gallery displays University Associate Professor Bez Ocko’s personal collection of gig posters from various bands. (Caitlin Maloney)