Noiseland: the music of boston

Curated by Alexa Cushing and Connor Noll

On View November - January 2022
Exhibition Reception: November 10th 2022, 6pm-8pm

Boston is rich with music history. From the prominent bands that got their start here, the local acts, well-loved venues, and enthusiastic fans, it is clear that the people of Boston are dedicated to supporting their community. Kenmore Square, where Panopticon Gallery is located today, was once home to some of Boston’s most loved venues. Panopticon stands at the former site of The Rathskeller, a music venue celebrated as the catalyst of Boston rock and roll. Although the landscape of the neighborhood has since changed, concertgoers can attend shows at a selection of established locations, as well the new venues that have opened their doors over the last few years.

 Noiseland: The Music of Boston features the work of several Boston-based music photographers, photographs of iconic musicians, and images of the crowds that cheered them on. Noiseland: The Music of Boston pays homage to the ever-changing Boston music scene; offering a glimpse into the cultural impact of city’s musical past while also looking forward to what is to come.

Our opening reception is free and open to the public. While tickets are not required to attend, you can RSVP to our event HERE

JJ GONSON

“Obsessed with music from the time I was a small girl, in the mid 80’s I discovered that it was possible to get access to musicians and bands by signing on to shoot live and posed photos for magazines and newspapers. For the last half of that decade I shot hardcore and punk bands multiple times a week in clubs around the Boston area, striving to preserve the personal experience of music.In 1990 I went west, to Portland Oregon. Working in management and show booking in the independent music industry provided myriad opportunities to continue to shoot bands who needed promotional photos and photos for cover art. While much of my work is of live music, portraits have dominated my body of work over the span of decades; from the early 80’s to present day. The result of my experiences is a collection of intimate portraits of musicians, friends and fans, both live on stage and candid, off of it. My archive includes little seen pictures of Kurt Cobain, Elliott Smith, Jane’s Addiction, Black Flag and hundreds of other punk and independent bands.My work has been published in books including Torment Saint: a Biography of Elliott Smith, Cobain Unseen and Cobain on Cobain as well as in fanzines such as xXx and Suburban Voice and many magazines, including Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q and Spin.” - JJ Gonson

Paul McAlpine

Boston photographer Paul McAlpine is known for his photos capturing rock and roll musicians in the 1970s-80s, pointing his camera at the likes of Aerosmith, Freddy Mercury, Mick Jagger and David Bowie. He went on numerous tours photographing musicians, and has worked with artists such as Iggy Pop, The Cars, Queen, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, and many others. Paul McAlpine’s works are featured at MFA Boston, LACMA, Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Collection.

Philin PHLASH

Following his graduation from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the 1970s, Philin Phlash was active in Boston rock clubs in the late 1970s-1980s, capturing live music scenes. His “in-a-pit” photographs documenting Boston punk and hardcore scenes, along with his streetscape and portraits photography, created a “colossal photographic catalog of rock ‘n’ roll artists, film and art world celebrities.” Through the years, Philin Phlash’s historical works have been displayed in numerous projects, locally and nationally, and in publications by various media sectors. In 2020, Time Out Market Boston and Gallery East exhibited 60 of Philin Phlash’s photos of the ‘80s underground music scene throughout the Fenway and Kenmore neighborhoods.

Press for Noiseland: The Music of Boston