Alan Vega (June 23, 1938 – July 16, 2016), best known for being half of the legendary proto-punk duo Suicide, was also a prolific poet and visual artist. From his groundbreaking presence fronting Suicide in the early 1970s, to his solo music career from the 1980s up until his death, Vega’s mark on music was indelible and inspiring. Suicide’s debut self-titled album released in 1977 is widely considered one of the most influential ever made. His on-stage presence was marked by audience interrogation to the point of inciting riots, self-harm, and an unerring aura of coolness – perpetually smoking cigarettes in sequined blazers. Incredibly ahead of their time, Suicide’s influence on punk and electronic music is still being heard today, their stage presence and sound often copied but never duplicated.

The exhibition Double Lives will focus on fine artists who wrote or produced music, who performed music in public, or who were or are members of artists’ bands. The exhibition really “exhibits” music, with listening stations and large projections of videos and photographs of concert and studio performances that give visitors a sense of being there “live,” while also illustrating the significance of different kinds of performance situation.

Todd Bienvenu (in collaboration with Galerie Sébastien Bertrand, Geneva) // Alan Vega
New exhibitions at Galerie Laurent Godin, Paris.
Opening Friday 22nd of June, from 6 PM

DREAM BABY DREAM
"A year after the passing of Alan Vega, who I first knew as Alan Suicide, we will present Dream Baby Dream, a memorial exhibition to commemorate Alan's life and work. The exhibition has two components : video projections of historic performances by Suicide, and a selection of Alan's sculpture and works on paper from the 1960's to his last works in 2016.