Rock photography in Flingern

Punk and rock chronicler Richard Bellia shows photos from four decades

A very special exhibition is coming to the Weltkunstzimmer - arranged by Michael Wenzel, guide of our tour "The Sound of Düsseldorf". Richard Bellia's "Rocking Photography" is on display in Flingern until April 10. The photographer is a chronicler of pop music and has photographed the greats - including The Cure, Depeche Mode, Nirvana and David Bowie, as well as dazzling protagonists from various musical eras such as punk (including Joe Strummer, Ramones, The Cramps, L7, Henry Rollins and Joy Division) and hip hop (including Wu Tang Clan, ODB, LL Cool J, Eric B. and Rakim). We spoke to curator Andrew Uhlemann about the exhibition, Bellia's photos and the accompanying program. 

Andrew, why should we see the exhibition in the Weltkunstzimmer?  

I think Richard Bellia has a very special view of the artists he photographs. Over the decades, he always stays in close contact with the subject, waits for the right moment and then snaps. He takes the magic out of moments and puts them on photographic paper.  

Which artists and bands has Richard Bellia photographed? 

His roots certainly lie in punk and new wave, where he photographed heroes such as The Clash, The Cramps and The Cure. He then quickly expanded his spectrum and also ventured into the really big pop stars such as David Bowie, James Brown, Morrisey, Paul Weller and Madonna.His 800-page, magnificent photo book "Un oeil sur la musique" contains over 1000 photos - directly from the photo pit, but also backstage or on the street.  

Was Bellia herself part of the scene?  

Bellia came to Paris in the 1980s and spontaneously bought a camera for a The Cure concert. His career aspirations were clear, but in the excitement of the first concert he hadn't inserted the film properly, and at the end of the evening there was no decent photo. To improve this in the future, he continued to take photos and listened to a lot of music to get in the mood for the right motifs. 

What makes Bellia's photos so distinctive?  

Band and press photos can be incredibly boring. But Bellia's photos really make my heart beat faster, because he shows special moments that have rough edges and are fascinating for that very reason. And that's almost an exception in this slick Instafilter and Photoshop world that we are surrounded by every day.  

How is it that the pictures can now be seen in Düsseldorf?  

Düsseldorf music journalist Michael Wenzel, who also runs the wonderful guided tour "The Sound of Düsseldorf", is "to blame". He got the tip about Richard Bellia from an acquaintance and passed the exhibition idea on to the Weltkunstzimmer.And there they were spontaneously enthusiastic about realizing a photo exhibition with Bellia. 

How do you use the showroom in Flingern?  

There is an entrance area and two large, high rooms with white walls. This fits in perfectly with the black and white photography, as this is also how the large formats appear.There is also a flyer that recommends two playlists to visitors via QR code: a list of all the artists on display and a top 10 for a quick music walk. So please bring your own headphones to listen to!  

There will be a few concerts. How does that fit in with the exhibition?  

There is a really great supporting program for the exhibition.On Saturday, March 19, for example, Richard Bellia will hold a photography workshop with students from Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. This will be followed by a concert evening with Françoiz Breut and Florence Besch. On Thursday, March 31, 7 p.m., Richard Bellia himself will give a slide show about his work, with musical accompaniment by his Parisian friend Jean Zundel. And to do justice to the rock part of his work, on Friday, April 8, 8 p.m., the Danish Powersolo will perform a spectacular rock trio with a special kind of show.  

What is your favorite photo?  

I can't tell you how many times I've flicked back and forth through Bellia's book, certainly more than any other rock photo book I have in my cupboard! But I regularly get stuck on a photo of the recently deceased Genesis Beyer P. Orridge from Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV.It's actually a classic portrait, but it shows the transformation towards what he called a "pandrogynous" gender identity.  

You can find more information about the exhibition in our calendar of events.

Cover picture: David Bowie, Prague, February 1996, Richard Bellia
Gallery 1: © duesseldorf.design