THE 27 CLUBDEVON STUART

Questions What do you think the 27 Club is? Who are the “people” depicted in the

print?

Background “The 27 Club” Printed June 19, 2009 Printed by Post Neo Explosionism

-Collaborative Art Group consisting of Jermaine Rogers, Justin Hampton, and Emek

Purpose: To conceptualize the phenomena of influential musicians that have parted from the world at age twenty-seven.

Background(cont.) Historical Context:

Throughout the years, it has been noted that many famous musicians have perished at the young age of twenty-seven. Sometimes mysterious causes are to blame.

Analysis of Title: The impulse for the starting of the club was the high number of prominent 27-year-old musicians dying in a two year span.

Brian Jones(February 28, 1942-July 3, 1969)

Founder of the “Rolling Stones”

It has been said that he could learn to play any instrument in less than 30 minutes.

On July 3, 1969 Jones was found motionless in the bottom of his swimming pool.

-Noted that his liver and heart were greatly enlarged due to drug and alcohol use.

Jim Morrison(December 8, 1943-July 3, 1971)

Lead singer and songwriter for The Doors.

Considered to be one of the most “charismatic frontmen” of rock.

Died of heart failure. Possibly linked with alcohol and drug use.

Jimi Hendrix(November 27, 1942-September 18, 1970)

Considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in the history of rock.

Famous for playing a right handed guitar left handed.

He would smash, burn, or destroy his guitar after performances. When asked why he replied-”He had gotten all the sounds out of the guitar that it would ever make.”

Asphyxiated on his own vomit.

Janis Joplin(January 19, 1943-October 4, 1970)

Janice lead the way for women in in a male-dominant business.

Started as lead singer with Big Brother, The Holding Company, then later as a solo artist.

She died of a heroin overdose.

Kurt Cobain(February 20, 1967-April 5, 1994)

Singer, songwriter, guitarist of Nirvana.

He took the grunge movement mainstream.

After the release of Nirvana’s most popular song “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, it made around $550 million-making Nirvana overnight millionaires.

Died of a shotgun wound to the head.

Robert Johnson(May 8, 1911-August 16, 1938)

“The most important blues singer of all time.”-Eric Clapton

A legend stands about how Johnson acquired his master skills of the guitar. According to the story, he met up with a large black man at Dockery Plantation and sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for mastery of the instrument.

Johnson died from drinking whisky laced with strychnine.

Audience The intended

audience would be rock and blues fans.

This unexplainable pop-culture phenomena has gained popularity and appreciation among music fans of these genres.

What captures your attention when first looking at the print?

Focus Foreground: -The 5 Musicians(from

left to right):Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain

Background: -Robert Johnson: Also known as the “Grandfather of Rock ‘n Roll”, appears in the background among the clouds and imagery of the afterlife.

Technique The image has a

symmetrical balance. Symbolism: The color

purple seems to be a dominant color in the print. The figures are framed by a border of purple flowers. The color purple stands for royalty, mystery, and mourning.

Symbolism The dead musicians are

presented as fully-clothed living skeletons with a ghost like appearance symbolizing a living dead persona (their legends live on past death of their human form).

The liquor in Jim Morrison’s and Brian Jones’s hand symbolizes their alcoholism which was a major contributor towards both musicians death along with heavy drug use.

Symbolism Robert Johnson is depicted

with “fallen angel” wings, as well as a devil tail. This is symbolic of the legend of how he sold his soul to the Devil. Also, the color of Johnson is gold. Gold represents idealism, betrayal, and happiness.

Green is also a common color used. Green represents misfortune and renewal.

Technique(cont.) The image contains both

logical (logos) and emotional (pathos) appeal.

Logos: There is an interesting nature in the deaths occurring all at the age of twenty-seven.

Pathos: Death itself brings out a negative emotion however there is a positive side in the remembrance of the rock legends.

Technique(cont.) The colors purple and gold compliment each

other bringing a balance to the artwork. The background is somewhat unsaturated while

the foreground is highly saturated bringing emphasis to the dead musicians.

Other 27 Club Members Alexandre Levy Nat Jaffe Jesse Blevin Rudy Lewis Dickie Pride Alan Wilson Linda Jones Ron “Pigpen” McKernan-Founder of Grateful Dead Dave Alexander Peter Ham Gary Thain Helmut Köllen Chris Bell D. Boon Alexander Bashlachev Jean-Michel Basquiat Pete de Freitan And many more..

Bibliography http://www.forever27.co.uk/27/ http://www.pne3.com/artwork2009/27_clu

b_june09.jpg http://www.the27club.net/