"Prints from the Collection of Reba and Dave Williams: An exhibition of images celebrating music and musicians"
2001-01-16 until 2001-06-17
New-York Historical Society
New York, NY, USA United States of America

Reba and Dave Williams have been collecting prints with musical themes for many years. For the exhibition The Sight of Music, they have selected this diverse collection of works encompassing numerous interpretations of, and variations on, the theme of music. The inspirations, subjects, and images are as distinct as the artists who created them, and often include highly personal references. These prints, largely the work of 20th-century American artists, form an ensemble that resonates with the varied musical timbres of our era.

Included among the 80 prints are portraits of musicians and composers such as Paul Robeson, Arturo Toscanini and Dave Byrne; images that illustrate specific music or songs, from Christmas carols (Hark the Herald Angels Sing) to a jazz classic (Lester Leaps In) to a dance single from an obscure rock group (How to Keep Time to the Music/Totally Nude by The Wallets); pictures inspired by the music of a locale, particularly New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz and Harlem, the cultural mecca for black music in the 20th century; and visual portrayals of the music itself, most notably avant-garde composer John Cage’s abstract etching Global Village 37-48.

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for the State of New York

Other Important Exhibitions in New York