Even during his lifetime, this man was
already a star. And the desire for Ludwig has not diminished since. E.T.A.
Hoffmann, Richard Wagner and Thomas Mann were just as engaged with Ludwig van
Beethoven and his work as Chuck Berry, Stanley Kubrick and the rapper Nas. In
pop, the Beethoven myth exploded and ultimately opened up its very own
Beethoven reference space in music, films, cartoons, literature and pop art
in many parts of the world, which was tapped more extensively than ever
before.
The issues that preoccupied Beethoven
during his lifetime - violence and pathos, genius and masculinity, the role
that Beethoven plays in national and international interests - are probably
more pressing these days than they have ever been. With the exhibition
“Ludwig lebt! Beethoven im Pop” (Ludwig lives! Beethoven in Pop) on the
occasion of the composer’s 250th anniversary of the composer's birth
highlights some of the obvious and surprising traces of Beethoven in pop,
starting with his Fifth Symphony, which was sent on an infinite mission into
space in the Voyager space probe. Ludwig lebt! features Beethoven's traces in
bands like the Beatles, Accept, Electric Light Orchestra, Die Toten Hosen and
artists such as Helge Schneider or Judith Holofernes, in films like A Clockwork Orange and Elephant or Inglorious Basterds, as well as in cartoons such as Peanuts and
Goofy.
The rock’n’popmuseum’s special exhibition
is curated by a nationwide team of experts. An academic exhibition catalogue
complements the exhibition theme.
With the special exhibition Eddi Van
Halen. With The Last Guitar God, the Rock'n'Pop Museum, in collaboration with
The Rock Collection (by Felix Lethmate), is presenting one of the last great
string instrumentalists.
Eddie van Halen - rightly considered one
of the most important electric guitarists of all time. In 1978, he stunned
the experts with his instrumental track “Eruption”. They celebrated him as a
new star in the sky of the guitar gods. Despite all the laurels, Eddie van
Halen has not lost his drive, always striving for the ultimate sound. He
screwed and soldered, created new guitars, pickups and amplifiers. With his
band, he celebrated triumphs, swept the charts and filled huge stadiums. The
Dutch guitarist, keyboard player and musical leader of the band Van Halen is
known in the music world as “The Last Guitar God” and still inspires people
today with his unique guitar-playing technique.
As the band's namesake member, Eddie van
Halen recorded his first chart-breaker “Jump” in 1984 and it is still a
must-play track at any good party. The track's appeal and success are based
on the harmonious combination of two prevailing trends in pop music,
guitar-heavy hard rock and synth pop.
The exhibition comprises five themes that
present the life and works of the rock legend in a very distinctive
atmosphere. Special exhibits, concert recordings and private backstage
footage are just a few highlights of the 220-square-metre exhibition. Besides
Eddie’s life, his works and his band Van Halen, the focus is also on his
unique guitar-playing and amplification technique. Because this exhibition
project should not only be understood as a nostalgic reminiscence. It is also
intended to motivate visitors to rediscover and learn to appreciate the
guitar anew.
Top chops and flatheads, car enthusiasts
daubed in oil by the side of the road, heavily tattooed rockabillies with
slicked-back hairstyles, wild race and dance weekends – all this screams
America. The lifestyle that celebrated its heyday in the 40s and 50s of the
previous century still has many ardent fans across Europe today.
An authentic insight into rock‘n’roll
lifestyle.
This scene is the focus of the 2009
photobook "Hopped-Up" by Berlin-based photographer David Biene, who
impressively captures the spirit of the US 1940s and 50s in Europe in classic
black-and-white documentary photography.
Photographer David Biene travelled through
Europe - from Spain to Norway - to photograph a homage to this social niche
that - captured on negative film without retouching - bursts with authenticity
and honesty. A kind of manifesto for real life. Without a pointing finger, but
full of fun and passion. The accompanying exhibition already toured to London,
Berlin, Düsseldorf and Munich. And now to the rock’n’popmuseum. Various sound
documents, such as recordings of a race and exclusive songs, complement the
exhibition.
David Biene, born in the Münster region, has been
living as a freelance photographer in Berlin for over 20 years. After an
autodidactic start, Biene studied photography at Lette Verein Berlin and
successfully completed his studies in 2003. While he generally takes digital
photographs on assignment, he likes to shoot analogue on film for his own
projects. Biene is interested in the genuine and unadulterated; his fascination
is with authentic people and situations.
Entitled "Demos, Discos, Denkanstöße
- die 70er in Westfalen" (Demos, Discos, food for thought - the 70s in
Westphalia), the rock'n'popmuseum Gronau has put together a travelling
exhibition in cooperation with Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL). The
focus of this exhibition is on photographs from the Christoph Preker
collection. In order to also capture the era emotionally, people tell their
stories and provide exhibits from the 1970s.
The exhibition covers the topics of
politics and education, gender relations, protests, childhood and youth,
fashion and design, everyday life, mobility and housing, art and culture as
well as the international and regional music of the time. Musical spheres,
from art rock to punk and Saturday Night Fever come to life with the help of
an audio guide. Further information is provided on media tables. Here, visitors
can interactively log into the "turbulent world" of the 1970s and
let themselves be carried away by the album charts. The virtual photo album,
a monitor installation, reveals private perspectives on outstanding events
and how they were perceived away from the major hubs of Westphalia. Visitors
encounter the protagonists in the form of “Talking People" (life-size,
talking silhouettes) in the scenario of the decade.
The exhibition is complemented by a
catalogue.
With a grand special
exhibition, the rock'n'popmuseum is once again breaking new ground. It is
dedicated to an archive show that now makes previously rather hidden treasures
accessible to a large audience: With regards from Joan Baez, the Rolling Stones
and Benny Goodman.
The special exhibition "Päpste des Pop" deals with the legacy of two
significant figures in music history. Hardly anyone in Germany had as great an
influence on international pop music as Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau. In the
1960s, they went down in history with the American Folk Blues Festivals. The
two organisers brought authentic blues musicians to Europe and triggered a
wave. Starting in the United Kingdom, this wave swelled into a storm tide that
was to revolutionise pop music in the form of blues rock. Later, they presented
the highlights of the industry in Germany, including Michael Jackson. The front
man of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, even called Fritz Rau the
"Godfather of Rock". So, it is almost a matter of course that Fritz
Rau's estate contains many treasures with which the greatest of the greats paid
him their unconditional respect.
In 1999, in Lippmann's hometown of Eisenach, the archive was founded, with a
passion for collecting that extends far beyond the estate of Fritz Rau and
Horst Lippmann. The rock'n'popmuseum could choose from a lavish collection for
its exhibition, which focuses on blues and jazz, as well as pop music. Like the
archive, the exhibition is divided into collectors' portraits that bring
decades of pop music back to life with important objects, large-format
graphics, sounds and multimedia technology. In this way, the rock'n'popmuseum
follows exactly what the enthusiastic archivists Reinhard Lorenz and Daniel
Eckenfelder do in gruelling voluntary work: Preserving “die Flüchtigkeit
magischer Abende” (...the fleetingness of magical evenings).
The
magic of the stage - that's what awaits visitors to the travelling exhibition
"On Stage" at the rock'n'popmuseum. The museum has compiled the most
beautiful motifs from a pool of over 300 photographs and presents breath-taking
concert shots. The pictures were taken by photographer Clemens Mitscher, a
photography lecturer at the Hochschule für Gestaltung (HfG) Offenbach, and his
students.
Dancing lights, twitching flashes in the
darkness and a singer sprinting across the stage - hard to capture with a lens.
The idea to offer a photography course on concert photography was born in 2010.
Anyone who has ever taken photos in an elbowed crowd can imagine the immense
learning effect for budding photographers: It requires absolute expertise to
take good pictures in semi-darkness with ever-changing lighting conditions.
In any case, the camera triggers of Mitscher's students surely did not freeze.
They took emotionally charged photos at various international festivals and
concerts that captivate the viewer's gaze.
The focus is not only on the musicians, but also on the concert-goers' attitude
to life. Besides the ecstatic or lethargically immersed stars, their pictures
show the camping ground, boozing people in flip-flops on camping chairs with
cans of ravioli in front of them; a naked guy belly-down on the grass,
celebrating fans.
Martin Liebscher, professor of photography at the HfG, describes rock
photography as a "dirty little bastard between hero worship, paparazzi
photography and artistic expression" with photos from a
"counter-world of everyday life". Until 30 July 2017, visitors can
delve into this counter-world, indulge and perhaps find a piece of themselves.
The exhibition is complemented by a
catalogue.
The travelling exhibition “Klang
der Frömmigkeit” (Sound of Piety) of the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe
(LWL) in cooperation with the rock'n'popmuseum and with the support of the
Evangelical Church of Westphalia, is dedicated to the influence of the
Reformation on music up to the present day.
An essential feature of the Reformation is its dissemination through music. The
Protestant Church was a singing, sounding church from the very beginning. For
Martin Luther, also known as the "father of hymns", music was a means
of proclamation, a gift from God and a remedy against evil. Songs gave the
congregation a voice - and not in the liturgical language of Latin, but in
generally understandable German. Luther's chorales are hymnal classics today.
The Reformed tradition also placed special emphasis on music.
The exhibition is divided into five chapters, including the Reformation and
music in Westphalia, the German “Singbewegung”, instruments, the political
instrumentalisation of song and pop music. The individual aspects are
introduced through songs and instruments. The focus is on singing - it forms
the heart of Protestant worship and congregational life alongside the German
sermon and liturgy. This element required the active participation of the
congregation and is still a central part of Protestant devotional practice in
all regions of Westphalia.
The essential feature of this exhibition is surely the music itself, conveyed
both in audio and visual-sound documents. In addition, the exhibition presents
instruments, hymnals and sheet music, sculptures, religious prints, paintings,
materials of church music events as well as stage costumes and props.
Interviews with representatives of important mediation institutions and active
artists of the religious pop music scene since 1960 provide insights into
concepts and initiatives.
With the help of an audio guide, visitors can listen in on the sound documents;
complemented by an academic publication that provides deeper insights into the
topic.
For lay people, the music
industry is a mystery. Presumably, it is only stars who collect millions for
successful hits. But what is the business really like? “We’re only in it for
the money” embarks on an exciting journey behind the scenes of a multi-faceted
and globally-operating music industry, taking a peek at what happens backstage,
during album production and the presentation of music in the media. Because the
network of all the different players – consisting of producers and users, of
legal frameworks and contracts – often appears obscure to the untrained eye.
For centuries, music was a
central cultural asset, but also an important economic commodity. For many
consumers, music is a means of entertainment and relaxation, a collector's item
and - especially for young people - always also a means of shaping identity.
And at the same time, numerous authors and artists, labels and publishers,
event organisers and media, music dealers and sound studios make their living
from music.
In six thematically arranged
areas (live, recording media, digitalisation, production and contracts), the
exhibition presents the huge diversity of the music industry, shows the
important lines of development but also the dramatic breaks and covers almost
150 years of music industry history.
Although
German music industry is the focus of the exhibition, it also takes an
occasional glance across the borders, presenting international phenomena.
They rose from stars to legend,
inspired millions during their lifetime, were symbols of rebellion and went
down in music history with their death. The paintings by artist Ole
Ohlendorff show deceased musicians and their charismatic faces, testifying to
an eventful life. The rock'n'popmuseum is presenting a selection of the
paintings in the special exhibition "Dead Rock Heads".
It
was a tough decade for the music industry, which already had to mourn the
loss of many great artists. The special exhibition "Dead Rock
Heads" is a tribute to all those musicians from the world of rock, pop,
beat, blues, jazz and punk. Among the most recent works of Ole Ohlendorff are
his portraits of David Bowie, Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead) and Keith Emerson
(Emerson, Lake & Palmer). But Ohlendorff has also captured greats such as
Gary Moore, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse or Ray Charles on canvas. The painter
uses various techniques, combines oil paint with charcoal or creates entire
collages. "I carry them all in my heart," says Ole Ohlendorff,
tapping his left fist on his chest. The painter from Winsen an der Luhe is on
a mission: With his paintings, he wants to pass on the enthusiasm for rock
legends. And he doesn’t start until the portrayed have died. “After all, I’m
not only concerned with music and dance, but also with transience”, says the
artist.
"Yo,
good evening, ladies and gentlemen, we make rap music, and damn it, we like
to listen to it too" - that was the message of the German rappers Afrob
and Ferris MC at the time, which is now also the subject of a special
exhibition at the rock'n'popmuseum. Behind the title “Styles - HipHop in
Deutschland” (Styles - HipHop in Germany) lies much more than rap. It
includes graffiti, DJing and youth culture, provides answers to the origins
of hip hop from the USA and thus opens up perspectives on an entire culture
and a style of music that could not be more polarising. The special
exhibition was created in collaboration with Dr Oliver Kautny from the HipHop
Academy Wuppertal (Bergische Universität Wuppertal), Prof. Dr Michael Rappe
(Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln) and rapper "Pyranja".
In
a multimedia show, the rock'n'popmuseum is tracing the development of hip hop
from its New York roots to Berlin-style gangsta rap and the latest stars such
as Cro, Haftbefehl and Kollegah. On their journey through time, visitors
encounter popular artists and formations such as Samy Deluxe, Freundeskreis
or Kool Savas. Many of the varied exhibits feature explanatory statements by
the stars themselves, which can be accessed via audio guide or by smartphone
via QR code. Sounding record covers offer orientation, video lounges present
ground-breaking music, significant video clips, documentaries and magazine
articles. A DJ booth and a large-format canvas for virtual graffiti spraying
are available for visitors to put their skills to the test.
The exhibition is complemented by a publication.
The rock'n'popmuseum, in cooperation with the Schwarzweißlabor Münster and the Galerie "feine art", is presenting the exhibition, MusikMekkaMünster, 1960 to 1990, on the pop music history of the Westphalian metropolis. It features true treasures of the pop business, for example, the Rolling Stones celebrated their first appearance in Germany in 1965, even before the audience tore the Waldbühne in West Berlin to pieces during the Stones' legendary performance. Kraftwerk presented avant-garde Krautrock in the university lecture hall, Pink Floyd filled the Münsterlandhalle in 1971. The list of pop titbits captured in black-and-white photos is almost inexhaustible and testifies to a top-class musical life that is no longer necessarily associated with Münster. The exclusively presented motifs not only delve deep into music, but also revive the spirit of the times. Impressions of the audience or shots of venues such as the Tanzcafé Insel offer a variety of souvenir occasions.
Small but great - the rock’n’popmuseum is presenting the exhibition
“Seitensprünge - Malende Musiker” (Sideways Leaps - Painting Musiscians). This
exhibition offers a close-up look at what happens when Jimi Hendrix wields a
paintbrush, Michael Jackson lets off steam on paper or John Lennon gives free
rein to his imagination. Around 30 paintings are on display, and among the
painters are other well-known musicians such as Paul McCartney, Slash, Bono,
Phil Collins and many more. The artists have completely different motifs in
mind, numerous facets are displayed, from portraits to landscape paintings to
fantasy creations.
The pictures come from the memorabilia dealer Ralf Zurloh. In the course of his
passion for collection, the Gronau resident met Leon Hendrix, the brother of
the late guitar genius Jimi Hendrix. He
signed a licence agreement with him in Seattle for the printing of a limited
edition of lithographs of a Jimi Hendrix work.
He
epitomised pop music like no other - Michael Jackson, a holistic work of art
consisting of ground-breaking songs, breath-taking dance acts and bombastic
shows. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of his death, the rock’n’popmuseum
is dedicating a special exhibition to the artist.
It
features an excerpt from the "Dittmar Collection", the private
collection of Chris Julian Dittmar, which is one of the largest and most
valuable Michael Jackson collections worldwide. The collector has assembled
several hundred exhibits from his holdings with the aim of bringing visitors
closer to both the private person and the world-famous megastar who captivated
the world for decades.
Exhibits include items of the singer's clothing, such as an original Billie
Jean jacket he had on during rehearsals for his 1988 BAD World Tour in
Pensacola, as well as a shoe worn and signed by the artist.
Rounding
off the diverse appeal of the special exhibition are video clips and audio
material. Audio guides provide visitors with detailed information on the
objects and slightly lift the self-imposed veil of the legend.
An
up-close experience of “100 Jahre deutscher Schlager” (100 Years German
Schlager Music!) at the rock’n’popmuseum. The extensive presentation was
created in collaboration with musicologist Martin Lücke and cultural historian
Ingo Grabowsky. Pop expert Götz Alsmann lent his voice to give visitors an
acoustic introduction to the various themes in the exhibition. The historical
development of German pop is covered in seven sections. Beginning with the
Empire and the Golden Twenties, visitors wander through the musical era of
National Socialism, the economic miracle, the dawn of modernity and finally
find themselves in the present, the time of revival and the Ballermann.
A multitude of exhibits line the visitor's path through the exhibition,
including a necklace by Zarah Leander, stage clothes and props by Michael Holm,
Helene Fischer and Jürgen Drews. One of the curiosities is an armchair sewn
with stuffed animals that belonged to Dieter Thomas Kuhn.
Via an audio guide, visitors can listen to various interview sequences of the
stars and different songs from various eras.
The exhibition primarily illustrates the versatility of the German schlager
music, its mutability in the changing culture and social structures.
The exhibition is complemented by a catalogue.
He is the undisputed "King of
Rock'n'Roll", generations of musicians drew on him as their musical
example - Elvis Presley.
In
cooperation with Elvis-Initiativkreis Gelsenkirchen, the rock'n'popmuseum is
presenting the special exhibition Elvis Presley - From Graceland to Gronau.
The exhibition features stage wardrobe and private clothing, as well as uniform
items that Elvis wore as a G.I. during his service in the US Army in Germany.
Visitors can also take a close look at precious jewellery, contract documents,
original letters and instruments of the rock’n’roll legend.
Not for the faint-hearted - the
rock'n'popmuseum is presenting the special exhibition "Mythen und Legenden
- Das Artwork von Andreas Marschall" (Myths and Legends - The Artwork of
Andreas Marschall). This exhibition features paintings and videos from the
metal and horror scenes, pencil sketches, film covers and storyboards by artist
and film director Andreas Marschall. Among the exhibits on display are also
morbid original props from the legendary music video "Coma of Souls"
(1989) by the band Kreator.
"I am a director and painter with a
certain affection for the dark sides of life," the artist says about
himself. And indeed, his paintings and films are expressions of darkness. His
pictures merge with abysmal lyrics and sound of heavy metal bands, contribute
to the narrative and myth of the music, to the legends of rock music.
Amazingly, young Andreas Marschall, who was
once rejected at art colleges and started out drawing comics for magazines like
METAL HURLANT, has grown to become Germany's best-known cover illustrator. Born
in Karlsruhe, he acquired his professional craft through self-taught studies
with American artists such as Bernie Wrightson and Barry Windsor Smith. The
artist's sources of inspiration include Hieronymus Bosch, Caspar David
Friedrich and the painting of the Pre-Raphaelites (a meticulous 19th century
photographic art movement).
Andreas Marshall's works are obsessed with detail -
and imbued with a fascination for horror and decay. Epic landscapes of death -
and what may loom afterwards. Colourful aesthetics encounter a sometimes
disturbing cruelty of representation. It
is this tension that constitutes his art and captures the viewer’s attention.
She
was an icon of her time, a sex symbol, a diva - Norma Jeane Baker aka Marilyn
Monroe was a singer and actress whose myth endures to this day. But this is
not only due to her dazzling life in the limelight and in front of
photographers' lenses, but also to her mysterious death in 1962.
“Marilyn
intim - Die Privatsammlung Ted Stampfer“, (Marilyn Intimately - The Private
Collection of Ted Stampfer) is the title of the exhibition presented by the
rock'n'popmuseum.
On
display are memorabilia from the trove of passionate collector Ted Stampfer,
including everyday objects from the diva's private collection, favourite
dresses Marilyn wore for important shoots and documents that allow a glimpse
behind the mask. Who doesn’t remember her champagne-coloured satin dressing
gown? And those who have always wondered what the secret of her fascinating
eye flutter is, may find the answer in a pair of artificial eyelashes.
However,
the exhibition does not only want to commemorate a gifted actress who made
history with her incomparable appearance. Rather, it focuses on the person in
private and sheds light on her personal, lesser-known side. In this way, the
visitor encounters a Hollywood icon in a completely new, even intimate way.
On 800 square metres, the rock'n'popmuseum is presenting a journey
through the history of women who have so far been under-represented in public
perception. In addition to various female musicians, the focus is therefore on
female songwriters, producers, photographers and managers. What would the music
industry be without fans and groupies - therefore, the exhibition also devotes
a great deal of attention to them and shows the full scope of the cult
practised by female fans around their idols. The special exhibition thus deals
with all areas of rock and pop music, whether in front of, on or behind the
stage - and this is also reflected in the spatial design of the exhibition.
ShePOP was created in cooperation with the universities of Oldenburg and
Paderborn
This year, he would have turned 70 - Jimi
Hendrix, master of distorting guitar sounds and a virtuoso on six strings. The
rock'n'popmuseum is dedicating a special exhibition in his honour. The
multimedia exhibition shows, among other things, impressive photographs from
the Fehmarn Festival that captured the musician for eternity at his very last
stage performance. A special highlight are the photos of Jimi Hendrix's journey
to the festival, during which he partly drove through Hamburg on a normal bus
route.
A guitar sound that could not be rougher -
his interpretation of the US national anthem "The Star-Spangled
Banner" was bloodcurdling, stirring, shattering. Jimi Hendrix mastered the
art of using his guitar like a tool. With sounds strikingly reminiscent of
machine guns, air raids and mortar explosions, he drew attention to the Vietnam
War. But it was not only his music that made him a legend, his far too early
death also rendered him a myth.
His last concert on the island of Fehmarn holds a
certain historical tragedy. For it was not a glamorous festival, not a venue
appropriate for an international megastar at the zenith of his success - but
quite the opposite. The 1970 Fehmarn Love & Peace Festival was a disaster
in the annals of festival culture. And that was also the reason why Frauke
Bergemann's photos were forgotten for a long time. Nobody wanted to remember
the black days of that September weekend in 1970. Even the photographer herself
was plagued by negative memories, marked by a lot of trouble between musicians,
visitors and a Hamburg rocker gang. What remained in the end was a financial
fiasco and a promoter's office that went up in flames.
They
are the veterans of rock music, achieved world fame through their expressive
sounds and stage performances - but also scandals and excesses have always
accompanied England's most sensational rock band, the Rolling Stones. On the
occasion of their 50th stage anniversary, the rock’n’popmuseum is showing a
special exhibition with photos and pictures of the rock stars. The exhibition
features artworks by Sebastian Krüger and photographs by Fritz Werner Haver.
Sebastian
Krüger, born in 1963, developed a soft spot for the artistic depiction of
bizarre types at an early age. A badge of Keith Richards then gave the impetus
for an artistic engagement with the Rolling Stones. In 1990, Krüger met Keith
Richards and Ron Wood in person for the first time. Since then, he and his
fellow painter Ron Wood have been connected by a friendship among like-minded
people. While Krüger's style was still partly cartoon-like until well into the
1990s, he ended his successful career as a media illustrator in the new
millennium and made his comeback to the artistic stage with photo-realistic
depictions.
Born
in 1951, Fritz Werner Haver's first contact with the Rolling Stones was of a
different quality. As a 14-year-old, he saw their first concert in Germany.
Since then, rock'n'roll has never let go of him. In the course of his career
"as one of the most renowned German music journalists", he
photographed almost every person appearing on German stages in the 1990s. He
understands photography as an intense, almost intimate engagement, and so when
he first interviewed Keith Richards in 1991, he "had the feeling that he
had known him for a long time".
Although
Sebastian Krüger and Fritz Werner Haver have been inspiring each other for many
years, the joint exhibition of their works is a première. It offers visitors an
opportunity that should definitely be seized.
The
rock'n'popmuseum presents the history of Germany's number one rock band.
It
is only a few musical notes that Klaus Meine, singer and songwriter of the
Scorpions, devotedly whistles at the beginning of his song - but they became
the anthem of the fall of the Berlin Wall and made history. The band's most
successful song, "Wind Of Change" set a sign of change. On the
occasion of the Scorpions' farewell tour, the rock'n'popmuseum is showing a
large special exhibition that was put together in direct contact with the band
and with their support.
“Rock You Like A Hurricane“ – this is the
title of the exhibition on a total area of 800 square metres. Visitors can look
back on the moving years of the most successful German rock band of all time,
dare to take a glance behind the dazzling scenes and discover amazing details.
The exhibits include all kinds of documentation of the band’s history,
including stage clothes, instruments, contracts, but also song lyrics, awards
and honours, photos and film clips. The impressive history of the band with its
partly politically influenced highlights is presented to the visitors in a
multimedia and interactive way.
The fact that 26 November 2012 marks
the 20th anniversary of Freddie Mercury's death is one more reason for all of us
to commemorate the gifted singer and entertainer and the person Farrokh
Bulsara.
On this occasion, the rock'n'popmuseum
in Gronau is dedicating a special exhibition to Queen's voice.
In cooperation with the Gronau
memorabilia dealer Ralf Zurloh, the museum has created an exhibition on 200
square metres with original exhibits such as a black lacquered stage outfit and
a personal birthday invitation. In a video jukebox, the exhibition shows
Freddie in moving pictures and three legendary live performances. 16
large-format photos pay homage to the singer who made it to great fame.
Excerpts from the extensive discography are available via audio guide so that
the unmistakable sound of Queen can accompany visitors through the exhibition.
In a teaching research project at the
University of Siegen in cooperation with the rock'n'popmuseum, students
investigated the question: What does music have to do with politics? In the
process, the students not only dealt with the topic in terms of content, but
also worked on all other components of exhibition planning, such as public
relations or sponsoring. The impressive results are shown in the special
exhibition "rock'n'revolution" in the rock'n'popmuseum from Sunday,
18 September. "Music is more than just a sequence of notes and rhythms,
it is an instrument for acquiring and maintaining power, but also the wind
beneath the wings of revolution. Songs like
"Revolution" by the Beatles can become the political expression of
an entire generation," says Dietmar Schiller, lecturer at Faculty I and
academic supervisor of the project.
"rock'n'revolution" documents the mutual
influence of music and politics and invites visitors to an audio-visual tour
through history.
Topics include the American civil rights movement,
rock music in the GDR or music after 9/11.
Glamorous
and quirky at the same time: the Eurovision Song Contest - and it has a history
of more than five decades. The rock'n'popmuseum is now presenting this history
on the occasion of the Grand Prix final on 14 May in Düsseldorf.
On a floor space of
approx. 800 square metres, the rock'n'popmuseum offers a hands-on experience of
the history of a genre that has shaped our image of pop stars, especially since
the 1980s. The exhibition takes the visitor through five thematic areas and
reveals numerous cross-connections between film, advertising and technical
inventions in consumer electronics and film production.
The complex theme is presented in a multimedia format. One of the highlights
are two rail cameras that open up the chronological and thematic area
"Zurückgespult” (Rewound). By moving the cameras, visitor gain access
databases on various topics and thus reveal connections that could not be
conveyed in their complexity purely by text. Of course, the exhibits mainly
consist of moving images. Other highlights include the Studebaker from the
clip-initiating programme Formel Eins, a stage costume of Sarah Connor, a
Scopitone (film jukebox) and much more.
The exhibition is complemented by a publication.
On
8 December 1980, the life of a man who had deeply moved millions of people with
his music was brutally ended. For nearly two decades, he had entertained and
politically inspired an entire generation.
With
this exhibition, the rock’n’popmuseum explores one of the most significant and
enigmatic personalities of the rock business – John Lennon. The stages of his
life provide impressive testimony to the constant tightrope walk of genius
Lennon, which tragically came to an end just when he seemed to be settling into
an - for him - unusual normality.
Quotes,
song lyrics and Lennon’s art also reveal the shadows of a life that played out
predominantly in the staged limelight. These uncommented first-hand documents
create an almost distressing intimacy with the artist, which is simply
touching.
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2009 marks the twentieth anniversary of
the Love Parade, two decades of sweaty ravers, cool venues and a development of
electronic music in which Germany had a decisive influence. Reason enough for
the rock'n'popmuseum to take a closer look at this hype.
The focus is on the latest musical
revolution in pop culture, from its virulent beginnings to its mass
compatibility and the commercial exploitation of its aesthetics. Despite
superficial links to hippie culture, any ideological approach is at best
diffuse; the vision of the future of the ravers and their music was neither
seriously formulated nor discussed. The content of the presentation of the
raver society focuses on the Federal Republic of Germany.
The exhibition floor covers just under
900 square metres with areas that are multimedia-based and interactively
accessible. The background of techno is explored in six thematic areas - from
the history of electronic dance music to in-depth portraits of important
protagonists of the scene. In addition, the visitor gains insights into the
world of flyers, fanzines, the playful use of media and the colourful
self-portrayal of this scene. The "Clubs" and "Rave"
sections deal with the sometimes run-down venues of techno parties and the
birth of the Love Parade, which advanced to become the dazzling event of rave
culture. In addition, the exhibition
takes an unavoidable look at the topic of drugs, production and consumption,
points out the effects, and warns against abuse. The exhibition is
significantly supported through material from "Eve&Rave", an
organisation from Münster, which travels directly to the scene with important
facts and informs the young people on the spot.
The exhibition is complemented by a
catalogue.
"This is the end" Jim Morrison breathes
into the microphone ecstatically, aggressively, almost world-enraptured,
before the song "The End" ends in wild cacophony. Not long after, the life of the charismatic Doors
voice comes to a similarly spectacular end. In the exhibition "The Sun
Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore - Tod und Sterben in der Rockmusik" (The Sun
Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore - Death and Dying in Rock Music), the
rock'n'popmuseum demonstrates how human transience is processed in pop music,
which often seems so relaxed and life-affirming.
Record
covers, song lyrics, sounds, videos and youth cultural artefacts show
striking stages of the theme in rock and pop history from the end of the
1950s to the present day - partially in disturbing and shocking images. The
guiding principle of the project is the relationship between musical genre,
scene and German Youth Movement on the one hand and the existential experience
of death on the other. The Zeitgeist - contemporary spirit -, genre and style
of music have each produced their own way of dealing with inevitability. It
also becomes clear that the cosmos of "rock music" provides young
and adolescent people in particular with a comprehensive and complex language
with which they can also consider, evaluate and process essential and
important life issues in a form of expression that is close and unique to
them. The exhibition divides the thematic field into an overview of contemporary
history and an excursus-like illumination of important focal points.
The
idea and compilation of the extensive show stem from Stiftung Künstlerdorf
Schöppingen. In addition to the rock'n'popmuseum, cooperation partners for
this project are the district of Borken, the Institute for Sociology at the
University of Münster and the Museum für Sepulkralkultur in Kassel. Here, the
exhibition will also be presented after the première in Gronau.
The
exhibition is complemented by an extensive catalogue.
The
cooperation between the rock'n'popmuseum and Gronau schools is again bearing
visible fruit: Together with high-school pupils from the Werner-von-Siemens
Gymnasium, the rock'n'popmuseum presents the exhibition "Pin-ups.. women
on the road".
On
display are airbrush works on old car parts. Ladies lolling on bonnets and
wings, Angela Merkel as a seductive bartender. The motifs were inspired by
pin-ups of the 1950s. The pupils transformed images of women from different
eras and art styles into classic pin-ups: from the original pin-up of the 50s,
to pop-art and caricature-like female motifs, to the manga of the late 1990s.
The eight young artists learned how to handle fine paint guns at a workshop
with Rainer Kalwitz. The graphic designer and artist became known for designing
CD covers for bands from all over the world. His excellent technique and
aesthetic flair have earned him worldwide reputation. During the six-hour
workshop, he taught pupils tips and tricks on how to create complex works with
shading and subtle nuances of colour from large, coloured surfaces.
With the special exhibition "On the
Road", the rock'n'popmuseum itself to life on the road. In many
different facets: Whether as a biker in Germany or a trucker in the USA, as a
musician or roadie in a touring band or as a restless and homeless hobo. The
road - the stuff of dreams and nightmares.
Covering
an area of around 1,000 square metres, the special exhibition "On the
Road" is divided into the thematic areas "Outlaw Riding"
(biking), "Rambling " (travelling as a life endeavour),
"Cruising" (driving for the joy of going for a ride),
"Lonesome Riding" (the cowboy behind the wheel) and "Traveling"
(passionate travelling from A to B).
A
visit to the exhibition is particularly worthwhile for bikers. In addition to
the history of "Outlaw Riding" over the past 40 years in the USA,
the influence of cult films (e.g., "Easy Rider") and songs
("Born To Be Wild") on entire generations is explained. Also the
exhibits should make every biker's heart beat faster. Among them are old
Harleys and Indians from 1920 onwards, a true-to-the-original replica of
"Captain America" and lots of frocks, jackets and helmets.
Another
exhibition area shows touring in today's rock and pop world - the gruelling
everyday business of roadies - far beyond any stage-light romanticism.
Large-format photos of XXL productions, stage plans, tour books, backstage
stories and catering requests offer the music fan an intimate glance behind
the scenes of the glittering world.
The
exhibition is complemented by an exhibition catalogue.
Star Cult in rock music student exhibition as a supplement to "Relic Sideshow”.
Dutch artist Sander van Bussel satirises the cult of stardom.
In
May 2006, the famous son of the city of Gronau, Udo Lindenberg, turned 60.
Recently, the panic rocker and co-inventor of the rock'n'popmuseum, also
received special awards, such as the "Eins Live Krone" for his life's
work in December 2006, and the Carl Zuckmayer Medal for his contributions to
the German language in January 2007. His paintings can be seen in museums and
galleries all over Germany, including the so famous "Likörelle" -
painted with dye-soaked spirits that are available at every bar.
Lindenberg
also became a dazzling symbol of integration between East and West. His cult
status is undisputed. So, it is time to dedicate an exhibition to the "Udo
Lindenberg phenomenon" in his hometown.
Visitors
are offered access to the star on several levels. For example, Hamburg
photographer Michael von Gimbut, who has accompanied Udo photographically for a
long time, shows large-format photos of the star: in private and on stage,
backstage and on the street, with and (still) without a hat.
An
extensive discography provides an overview of his musical oeuvre. Visitors can
choose from more than 50 LPs, including some that became rarities. The
"Exploratorium", the museum's database, has been specially expanded
to provide comprehensive information about the artist's life and career. In
addition, some outstanding exhibits will be on display. Among them is the
guitar, deemed to have disappeared, which Lindenberg gave to Erich Honecker in
Wuppertal in 1987 and made history with the proverbial ornate phrase
"guitars instead of guns".
Incidentally,
the master himself provides a very special interpretation of the exhibition and
exhibits. Original sound recordings can be retrieved from the museum's own
audio system. Lindenberg essentially comments on Gimbut's photographs and
provides the beautiful anecdotes of his life that he himself can tell best.
A
publication complements the exhibition.
“Na
BRAVO!” (Well, BRAVO!) The exhibition in the rock'n'popmuseum is dedicated to
the phenomenon of a youth magazine that has shaped entire generations of young
people like no other, from Peter Kraus to the Beatles and today's Tokio Hotel. In 2006, the magazine turned 50, and a big TV
show marked the anniversary. Stars and star clips, teenage counselling with Dr
Sommer, photo love stories - topics and sections that almost all of us - let's
be honest - grew up with.
In
1956, BRAVO was published for the first time with an initial circulation of
30,000 copies; in the meantime, sales figures have risen to 1.4 million prints.
Yet, BRAVO was never concerned with setting trends itself, but with exploring
and depicting them. This makes it a unique reflection of 50 years of youth
culture and contemporary spirit. At the same time, BRAVO also stands for
commercialisation of youth cultures and trends. Very early on, it used modern
marketing methods (Otto election, reader letter analyses) and conducted
intensive target group analyses of its readership.
In
the special exhibition, the rock'n'popmuseum deals with this unique medium of
youth. The exhibition shows the developments in BRAVO against its contemporary
historical background. Exhibits also refer to youth cultural phenomena and
their media processing in the youth magazine. Large-format reproductions of the
photo love story, a colourful variety of star cuttings and original letters to
Dr Sommer form a colourful panopticon for memories of many generations. Text
devices with detailed information condense the visual stimuli, while the hits
of the time, individually retrievable via audio guide systems, make them
sound.
The
Rolling Stones tour is the highlight of the 2006 concert summer. To mark the
occasion, the rock'n'popmuseum Gronau is dedicating a special exhibition to the
rock band: "Just Wanna See His Face - Die Gesichter der Rolling
Stones" The faces of the Rolling Stones) features large-format paintings
by Sebastian Krüger alongside photographs by Carl van der Walle.
Sebastian
Krüger paints intense portraits; his pictures have been published in magazines
such as "Stern" or "Spiegel". In addition, Krüger designed numerous
covers for CDs or LPs. His fascination with Keith Richard inspired him to
produce numerous portraits of the star. Richards and his bandmates were so
impressed by the works that a friendship was established, especially between
Ron Wood and Sebastian Krüger.
The
photographs by Carl van der Walle in the second part of the exhibition show the
Rolling Stones on their Germany tours from 1967 to 1973. Van der Walle has long
worked as a photographer of well-known bands, and his photos are regularly
published in the "Eclipsed" magazine, among others. The focus of the
Stones photos is on front man Mick Jagger. Via an audio system, visitors to the
exhibition can listen to the Dortmund photographer's experiences at the
concerts and learn some facts about the band's biography.
"Are
music and art really as closely linked as many claim?" renowned music
journalist Gunther Matejka wondered and set out to find the answer to this
question. So, he asked each of his numerous interview partners, from Phil
Collins to Lucio Dalla: “Would you like to draw a self-portrait?”. And almost
all of them spontaneously said yes.
The
list of artists ranges from Lee Aaron to Zucchero; Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler,
Michael Hutchence, Philip Boa or Meat Loaf: they all took up the drawing
pencil. Whether lovingly worked out with pencil and eraser or sweepingly thrown
in with a few strokes, from stick man to elaborate figure complete with
instrument - all styles and every talent level are represented. Iggy Pop paints
himself as a little man with a giant head, Dave Mason from Fleetwood Mac
actually sees himself as Bugs Bunny. However, Mark Knopfler's almost classical
portrait or Doro's elegant lines suggest a distinct talent for drawing - while
Smudo not even forgets the “Fantamobil” in his portrait.
The
exhibition at the rock'n'popmuseum features drawings, many of which are printed
in the book “Musiker-Selbstportraits” (Musicians' Self-Portraits) by Gunther
Matejka, as well as a number of previously unpublished originals. And one thing
is for sure: The works definitely allow conclusions to be drawn about the
talent, the person and the mood of the artists.
