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Artists 'Destroy' themselves for London exhibition!

2 Nov 2009

As part of Youth Music's 10th Birthday celebrations, more than 70 of the world's biggest musicians and visual artists have created a new body of artwork to be exhibited and auctioned in support of the charity. Artists including Damien Hirst, Debbie Harry, U2 and Michael Stipe have created their own unique interpretations of photographer Rankin's iconic photographs of musicians.

The exhibition, named Destroy, is a reflection of Rankin's music portraiture spanning his entire career, as well as an opportunity for him to shoot new and upcoming acts. Rankin said:

‘The name and theme of the project came from being able to take your own image and then do whatever you want with it. I liked the word ‘Destroy’ because I thought that was the essence of the punk ethos that a lot of the musicians featured here have been very influenced by, and which I’ve been influenced by myself. It’s that key idea of ‘doing it yourself’. And for me, it was also about turning a lot of what photography is about - manufacturing an image of someone - and turning it on its head, by letting them have control of it.

My son is a musician himself - so for me, being related to a charity that really supports and encourages kids to express themselves through music is a perfect extension of what’s going on in my life’.

Each artist has manipulated an image of themselves in a unique, personal way, creating a comment about who they are, their music, image, or the media. The one-off originals have been returned for preservation and auction at Phillips De Pury on the 14th November, as part of Youth Music Week 2009, and will appear in a limited edition book.

For Youth Music, the UK's biggest children's music charity, the project is a major fundraiser and an opportunity to celebrate its 10th birthday with some of the world's greatest musicians and artists.

 

www.youthmusic.org.uk/rankin

 

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