Missing Music Concerts? Get a Front Row View at the Springfield Museums
SPRINGFIELD, MA—Springfield Museums presents the photography exhibit Front Row Center: Icons of Rock, Blues, and Soul ,February 12–May 1, 2022, in the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.
The photographs of Larry Hulst capture the freewheeling energy of live music and the enduring visual spectacle of some of rock’s greatest performers. From Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to David Bowie and Lauryn Hill, Front Row Center: Icons of Rock, Blues, and Soul brings together over 70 images of legendary musicians and singers across three genres and generations.
“This is an exhibition for everyone, but it will be especially exciting for fans of live music and photography enthusiasts,” says Curator of Art Maggie North. “Larry Hulst’s magnetic images transport viewers to the concert hall, allowing us to witness some of the most outstanding performances in modern music history. The incredible way in which photography and music can simultaneously transport us and bring us together are at the center of this exhibition.”
The exhibition charts Hulst’s extraordinary path through the pulsing heart of the most exciting live music of the last century, showcasing a unique visual anthology of rock, blues, and soul music from 1970–1999. These images, which have been featured on album art and Rolling Stone spreads, convey Hulst’s lifelong passion for the magnetism, immediacy, and unpredictability of live music. With photos that also document unforgettable voices of funk, punk, and beyond, Front Row Center grants visitors a remarkable view of some of the most memorable performances in popular music history.
The Springfield Museums will offer Front Row Center as a bilingual exhibition, with text in Spanish and English. The experience of viewing the photographs will also be enhanced by audio and video features within the gallery, as well as an interactive photo opportunity.
Of Related Interest at the Museums:
Horn Man: The Life and Musical Legacy of Charles Neville, extended by popular demand, at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History.
A History of the Musical Instrument Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, March 24 @ 12:15 pm–1:30 pm
In this virtual lecture, curator John Troutman will share a history of and highlights from the National Museum of American History Museum’s musical instrument collection, and how these iconic objects will feature in an upcoming exhibition on American Entertainment. The lecture will be presented remotely by John Troutman, Ph.D., History, The University of Texas at Austin, Curator in the Division of Cultural and Community Life, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
About Larry Hulst
Born in 1946 in San Diego, Larry Hulst is a longtime participant and chronicler of the concert scene. His collection of nearly three thousand black-and-white negatives has helped immortalize the live acts of influential musicians over five momentous decades of rock history. His photography career began in 1969, when the former Navy corpsman returned home to Sacramento after a tour of duty in Vietnam. Citing Jim Marshall, Ansel Adams, and Lynn Goldsmith among his influences,
Hulst is fueled both by his respect for his musical heroes and by his dedication to perfecting his photographic eye. The hallmark of Hulst’s work is his authentic ability to evoke the raw energy and emotion of the concert experience. The only prop he has ever needed was the stage. “I never wanted to go backstage,” Hulst states. “I want to be where the action is. After all, the ‘show’ is projected out onto the audience. I want to be in the audience.”
Front Row Center: Icons of Rock, Blues, and Soul is organized and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.
International Arts & Artists (IA&A) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally. Since 1995, IA&A has fulfilled its mission by providing programs and services to artists, arts institutions, cultural organizations, and the public—reaching over 2.1 million people. Visit www.artsandartists.org for more information.
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About The Springfield Museums
THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS are located on the Quadrangle at 21 Edwards Street in the heart of downtown Springfield, Massachusetts. The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated consortium of museums includes the Springfield Science Museum, the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, and the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, the first and only museum dedicated to the beloved children’s book author and Springfield native.