Lina Lecaro
Do kids still plaster their rooms with band posters and flyers for rock shows like the old days? The digital age has brought us so much ease of discovery in terms of music, but it’s killed a lot of what was cool about collecting. Tangible ephemera represented by flyers, posters, ads, zines and photos still have their fans, but they aren’t Gen-Z music lovers. When everything’s on your computer and cell phone, the appreciation for this stuff hits differently. Unless you were around during the eras they represent, they’re artifacts and the modern appeal for youth of today is more about the design inspiration they provide than the music. Seasoned fans (Gen-X and previous) have a richer perspective. Torn Apart, an exhibit featuring a plethora of punk / New Wave / post-punk graphic art on all of the above plus clothing, books, photos and records, isn’t the first exhibit of its kind by any means (read our piece about Tequila Mockingbird’s LA Punk Museum from 2012), but it’s a good one and its multi-room mixture of items provides vibrant time capsule. Pulled from belongings of music collectors Andrew Krivine and curated by Michael Worthington, the show is a must-see for fans of these eras and genres, not to mention graphics in general. Purists might not love how the different music styles are jumbled together, but the mess and excess works on an artistic level as well as a nostalgic one. In this slideshow, we provide a peek, but you should see it in person if you can (today or tonight, as this is its last day).
Photos and reportage by Lina Lecaro and Charlotte Pinkerson.
For Torn Apart’s closing night, writer Simon Reynolds is giving a talk entitled “A Different Kind of Tension: The Sound and the Look of New Wave.” It’s followed by a closing reception. At PDC Design Gallery, 8687 Melrose Ave. West Hollywood; show closes tonight, Thurs, Sept. 8, 6 p.m.; free. More info at pacificdesigncenter.com/events/blakehaus-at-pdc-design-gallery/
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