STONES EXHIBITION TO ROCK NAVY PIER
Fans of the Rolling Stones will get plenty of satisfaction at the Chicago debut of “Exhibitionism,” an 18,000- squarefoot exhibit opening April 15 on Navy Pier, showcasing the band’s 54- year career via 500 rare artifacts, memorabilia, musical instruments, fashion, film, artwork, books and music.
The news was announced Thursday by Mayor Rahm Emanuel during a news conference at the pier.
The massive retrospective, culled from the personal archives of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood, as well as private collections from across the globe, will be presented in a series of themed galleries, from the band’s 1962 London club debut to their biggest concerts of the past decade.
Originated and produced by Australian- based iEC Exhibitions!, the exhibit premiered at London’s Saatchi Gallery in 2016 and then moved to New York later that year, where it will conclude its run on March 12.
It took 18 months to pull the entire “Exhibitionism” project together. No small feat, considering the size and scope of the exhibition, which is thematically organized to “expose the many facets of the band in terms of their cultural and historical importance and influence,” said exhibit curator Ileen Gallagher of the New York- based Ileen Sheppard Gallagher Productions.
Bringing the exhibit to Chicago, where the band has played many times over the years, was a logical progres- sion, according to Emanuel, who cites their 2002 concert at the Aragon Ballroom as his favorite.
“I think [ the exhibit] recognizes a couple of things. One is Chicago’s rich music history and the role of blues, gospel and jazz in that history. [ These American genres] all find their roots in Chicago. The Rolling Stones came to Chicago [ in 1964] to study the blues, which was the foundation for their rock and roll. … This exhibit will tell their story, and what a fitting place for that story to be told.
“Second, this exhibit will pay tribute to the influence of Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, and what a week to announce the news — with Chance the Rapper putting us on the world map [ with his historic Grammy wins on Sunday night] with rap music,” Emanuel continued. “After London and New York, the right place to be is Chicago … the music capital of the U. S., especially when you look at our venues and events we have in the summer and all the art forms here that are uniquely American.”
On the topic of the Stones’ love affair with Chicago, Mick Jagger said in a statement to the Sun- Times: “On ‘ Blue & Lonesome’ there are four Little Walter songs recorded at Chess Records, a couple by Howlin’ Wolf; there’s Otis Rush’s ‘ I Can’t Quit You Baby’ and Magic Sam’s ‘ All of Your Love’ that were recorded in Chicago for Cobra Records; and Eddie Taylor’s ‘ Ride ’ em On Down’ and Jimmy Reed’s ‘ Little Rain’ that were also recorded in Chicago, for Vee Jay Records. Go back to our earlier records and we’ve covered Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry that were recorded in Chicago. We have never lost our respect and love for the musicians and the music they played; it’s heartfelt and intense.”
The exhibit’s opening gallery is a recreation of the Stones’ first London flat, circa 1962. Other galleries will feature rare and priceless musical instruments and related ephemera; a scaleddown re- creation evocative of the famed Olympic recording studios; a music and lyrics gallery; a gallery of art and design from the 1960s to the 2000s, featuring original artwork from album covers, posters and other memorabilia ( an entire gallery is devoted to the creation of the iconic lips and tongue logo by John Pasche); two galleries devoted to film and music videos, including a documentary short by Martin Scorsese, and a fashion/ style gallery featuring 65 outfits from the band’s long career.