EYE CONTACT: An Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen Images of Music Icons from Amy Winehouse to Jay-Z

EYE CONTACT: An Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen Images of Music Icons from Amy Winehouse to Jay-Z

EYE CONTACT: An Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen Images of Music Icons from Amy Winehouse to Jay-Z

A$AP Rocky by Phil Knott
Lauryn Hill by Ernie Paniccioli
Mick Jagger by Tim Bret-Day
VaultWorks and Duggal Visual Solutions Present
EYE CONTACT:
An Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen Images of
Music Icons from Amy Winehouse to Jay-Z
by Acclaimed Photographers *Tim Bret-Day, *Phil Knott,
*Ernie Paniccioli and *Derrick Santini
Exhibition Set to Debut in New York City July 14-18,
Nashville July 20-27, Los Angeles October 7-10 and London in the Fall
New York, NY June 29, 2021 – VaultWorks, aNew York City media company that celebrates artistic and archival content, and Duggal Visual Solutions announce the debut of EYE CONTACT, a traveling exhibition that features a recently unearthed trove of rare photographs of music icons.
The striking fine art images of music icons run the gamut from David Bowie, Grace Jones and Amy Winehouse to Daft Punk, A$AP Rocky, DMX and Jay-Z. Many of the photographs – outtakes and never-before-seen shots – date back to the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, often capturing the artists in their formative years before their fame and cultural impact were fully realized. One arresting example is Amy Winehouse at her first photo session (2003) predating her debut album and without her signature eyeliner. Another is Lil’ Kim, shortly after her federal trial in NYC for conspiracy and perjury, channeling Joan of Arc (2005). (Complete list below.)
EYE CONTACT photographers include Ernie Paniccioli, one of Hip Hop’s most prominent chroniclers as well as Tim Bret-Day, Phil Knott and Derrick Santini, three lensmen noted for their unique ability to capture iconic images of music personalities and pop culture figures. All four photographers have been exhibited in major galleries and have illustrious careers shooting in the sectors of fashion, culture, advertising and, as compellingly demonstrated in this exhibition, music.
The name of the exhibit EYE CONTACT is highly relevant today, says VaultWorks co-founder Anik Sood. “EYE CONTACT speaks to the way the pandemic has compelled us to interact – through our eyes, the only exposed part of our face. It also refers to the opportunity the exhibition gives to once again see people and to re-engage in celebrating the arts and culture we’ve missed over the past 15 months.”
EYE CONTACT will open at New York City’s Equity Gallery July 14-18, then travel to the Virgin Hotels Nashville July 20-27 with a VIP opening event (6/20) in the Commons Club in conjunction with Give A Note Foundation. Los Angeles is set for October 7-10 at the Sportie LA Pop Up Gallery. A London stop is also in the works for Fall. Each exhibition will feature a curated core group of 14photographs augmented by a selection of images specifically tailored to each city. Duggal Visual Solutions has produced all the works in the exhibition.
VaultWorks’s Managing Director Dipesh Sinhasays they revel in the act of discovery. “When we dig into our photographers’ archives and unearth long-lost images or artifacts of significant moments of cultural history, there’s a real kid-on-Christmas-morning feeling. And then to figure out how to share what we’ve found with the world in a meaningful way, to perpetuate that feeling of discovery and inspire more curiosity, that’s really exciting.”
He adds,“Essentially, VaultWorks is all about discovering what’s in these amazing archives we track down, finding a meaningful way to package these stories to share with the world, and preserving what we unearth for the future.”
New York, July 14-18
Equity Gallery
245 Broome St, New York, NY 10002
Press Preview July 13, 6-9pm
Closing party July 18, 4-8pm, BYOB summer block party
Nashville, July 20-27
Virgin Hotel Commons Club
1 Music Square W, Nashville, TN 37203
VIP Opening Reception with Give A Note Foundation in support of music education in the schools July 20, 4-6pm; DJ and live music from local Nashville artists
Los Angeles, October 7-10
Sportie LAPop Up Gallery
Opening Party, 6-9pm Oct. 7
7763 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
London, Fall 2021
Details TBD
EYE CONTACT PHOTOGRAPH LIST:
Lil’ Kim; Jay-Z; Queens of the Stone Age; Rihanna; The Strokes; A$AP Rocky (2); Aaliyah; Amy Winehouse (2); Daft Punk; Erykah Badu; Liam Gallagher; RZA; David Bowie (3); Grace Jones; Mick Jagger; Roni Size& Reprazent; Lauryn Hill; DMX; Ice T; Busta Rhymes; and Grandmaster Flash
About the Photographers:
Tim Bret-Day is a Londoner, starting out as a member of the paparazzi before changing direction and going to college. After assisting in the top-flight of the fashion world he embarked on a solo career which led to him working for all the top fashion magazines. A change in direction meant following a freer and more creative style which led to him shooting top agency work all over the world, such as Nike, Mercedes, Agent Provocateur, Harvey Nichols, Virgin, to name but a few. He is currently working on a book covering his illustrious career in photography.
Phil Knott is a British born, L.A.-based photographer Phil Knott has been producing images for over 15 years. Rich in content and creativity, Phil presents a style that is beautiful, soulful, and honest in its capacity to extract what is raw from his subjects. Knott has established a niche for himself, attracting a wide range of clients including Paramount Pictures, Stussy, Versace Sport and Fragrance, Sony Records, RCA, Atlantic, Universal, EMI, Steve Madden, Hennessy, Afro-Punk, and 81 Magazine. Five years ago, Phil added his unique approach to collage to his repertoire and has produced work for Stussy, Bathing Ape, Roc-a-Fella, The Face, Spin, Complex, and Flaunt. Phil Knott is behind the seminal images of a galaxy of music stars, from Prince and Liam Gallagher to Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu.
Ernie Paniccioliis the Author of “Hip Hop at the End of the World” and “Who Shot Ya?” He first made his foray into the culture in 1973 when he began capturing the ever-present graffiti art dominating New York City. Armed with a 35-millimeter camera, Paniccioli has recorded the entire evolution of Hip Hop. Paniccioli, himself Native American, is known for his special eye for capturing people and communities ignored or misunderstood by mainstream America. Starting with snapping pics (a priceless history) of graffiti art in 1973 in NYC, he evolved to become the pictorial archeologist of Hip Hop much like James Van Der Zee did for 1920’s Harlem and Edward S. Curtis’ monumental prints did for the Native peoples of North America. Ernie is regarded by the Hip Hop community as their premier American photographer.  He is also a Hip Hop Hall of Fame inductee, recipient of the Zulu Nation Human Soul Award, creator of “The Other Side of Hip Hop” – named best documentary in 2007 – and has works featured in the Cornell University famed Hip Hop Collection.  Some of the most famous caught by his lens include John F. Kennedy, Jr. , Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Carter, Liza Minelli, Andy Warhol, Michael Jackson, Notorious Big , Michael Jordan, Britney Spears, Aaliyah, Tupac, Jay Z, Run DMZ, and The Dalai Lama, the list is endless. When asked which of his photographs is his favorite, Ernie responds… “My favorite photograph is my next one.”
Derrick Santini hails from Scarborough, North Yorkshire and discovered his love for photography at the age of thirteen, whilst taking pictures with his mum’s old Agfa camera. Derrick spent his teenage years recording everything he saw; initially a silent and passive observer, he came to regard the images he took as slices of life, ’moments in-between’, as statements about the individual, society, culture – and ultimately as an expression of the human condition. After this initial period prolific in reportage, Derrick’s talent saw him propelled into the fields of portraiture, music photography, fashion and advertising, where he developed a more confrontational approach to image making – one based on interaction and personality. He soon became renowned for his intimate and insightful portraiture style, particularly within the music industry where there rapidly became a huge demand for his iconic images.
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About VaultWorks:
VaultWorks is a minority-ownedmedia company that celebrates artistic and archival content, including photography, film, audio, art, and artifacts. Our mission is to revive untold and overlooked stories from our collective cultural history and highlight the seminal artists who created and captured them. We do this through archival asset management, event production, and other traditional and non-traditional avenues of media production.
About Duggal Visual Solutions:
For more than 50 years, Duggal has served as a trusted advisor and partner in helping the world’s leading photographers share extraordinary captured moments with their audiences around the globe. Duggal Visual Solutions is proud to be VaultWorks’ Fine Art production partner. Duggal Visual Solutions, incorporated in 1963, is an award-winning global supplier of exceptional printed visuals, custom displays, and multimedia solutions. Our clientele is widely spread among top global retailers, Fortune 500 corporations, museums, galleries, non-profit organizations, photographers, visual artists, and designers. Our cutting-edge production equipment, 24-hour facilities, and seasoned industry veterans combine to offer a comprehensive suite of visual solutions for projects of all sizes and parameters. From in-house design and production to shipping and installation anywhere in the world, the Duggal team is dedicated to providing the highest level of service and quality.

EYE CONTACT: An Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen Images of Music Icons from Amy Winehouse to Jay-Z

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