On view through May 31, 2017
Janette Beckman is a pioneer in the world of visionary collaboration as is evident in her vast photographic portfolio of creative artists, most of whom are now legends in their respective industries. When Beckman chose silkscreen, another collaborative process, to produce her newest body of work, Gary Lichtenstein embraced the opportunity to provide an environment that would encourage her exploration.
Janette Beckman: New Silkscreens offers a historic view of groundbreaking moments in time for a number of musicians and bands including, RUN DMC, LL Cool J and Salt-N-Pepa. Beckman’s suite of prints is reminiscent of her classic photographs but entirely unique by virtue of the choices she has made in terms of color, saturation and texture. Each piece tells a story and Beckman’s interpretations are, in fact, found on each, in her own, unmistakable handwriting.
Beckman is “mashing it up,” as she likes to say – utilizing silkscreen to transform visual language and present it in a brand new way. The end result is an exhibition that is as storied as its creator.
JANETTE BECKMAN
Londoner, Janette Beckman, began her career at the dawn of punk rock working for The Face and Melody Maker. She shot bands from The Clash to Boy George, as well as three Police album covers.
Moving to New York in 1982, Beckman was drawn to the underground Hip Hop scene. Her photographs of pioneers such as Run DMC, Slick Rick, Salt ‘n’ Pepa, Grandmaster Flash and Big Daddy Kane, are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of the City of New York.
Beckman has published four books: “Rap, Portraits & Lyrics of a Generation of Black Rockers,” “Made in the UK: The Music of Attitude, 1977-1983,” “The Breaks, Stylin’ and Profilin, 1982-1990” and “El Hoyo Maravilla.”
Beckman’s photographs have most recently been exhibited at The Museum of the City of New York, HVW8 LA, Le Salon Paris, Morrison Hotel Gallery NYC, Paul Smith London, Tower Records Tokyo and Blender Gallery, Syndney.
Beckman lives and works in New York City. She is the New York editor for the British style magazine, “Jocks & Nerds.”