AMERICAN VALHALLA - THE ART OF "POST POP DEPRESSION" 

There will be a series of Exhibitions in 2019 together with the Book Release "AMERICAN VALHALLA" A limited edition coffee table book featuring over 300 pages of pictures taken by Andreas Neumann and Matt Helders during the "Post Pop Depression"  Project. 

 

What happened in the past : 

On the occasion of the US and European  tour of renowned American singer and songwriter, Iggy Pop, the photographer Andreas Neumann and band member and photographer Matt Helders have premiered the  ART exhibit  at the Museum of Contemporary Art  Detroit  with their series of photographs named  American Valhalla, IGGY POP,  "The Art of Post Pop Depression".

FOLLOWING EXHIBITIONS WERE HELD IN THE PAST FOLLOWING KEY DATES OF THE TOUR :

• DETROIT, MI                APRIL 7 2016 / Museum of Contemporary Art  Detroit 
• LOS ANGELES, CA     APRIL 27  2016  / Mr Musichead Gallery Hollywood 
• BERLIN, GERMANY    MAY 6 2016 / TBA
• PARIS, FRANCE          MAY 14  - MAY 27 2016 /  The French Paper Gallery 
• LONDON, UK               JUNE 23rd 2016 / THE FLOOD GALLERY

Background: 

From shots taken in the Californian desert to pictures revealing the singer's performances on stage in Los Angeles, this exhibition expresses the cooperation and complicity between Josh Homme, Iggy Pop and Andreas Neumann, three artists whose fusion of talents generates a unique and intense photography. Neither commissioned nor premeditated, this series of photographs had originally been taken spontaneously between April and December 2015. For the German photographer it was simply the possibility to capture on film some of the magical moments generated by Iggy Pop and his band. A friendly encounter initiated by talented songwriter Josh Homme himself. The photographer’s work immediately seduced the two famous composers who decide to pursue and implement this new artistic collaboration; the visuals of the new album, a secret work in progress, will be signed by Andreas Neumann.

 

Iggy Pop describes the work as "pure artistic expression”, referring to the authentic moments captured by Neumann with his camera, which created a special bond between the photographer and the singer. Andreas Neumann was therefore able to embark on a mental and poetic journey with his photography and film, highlighting the spontaneity and the creative genius of Iggy Pop and Josh Homme.

Articulated into three main segments and gathering about thirty photographs, this exhibition invites the visitor to immediately discover the aesthetic universe of Andreas Neumann. The association of warm and contrasting colors meet, with rhythm and harmony, monochromatic and stylized images. In order to preserve a natural environment, the photographer decided against any processing or image retouching in order to generate a greater realism at first sight.

In front of the shots taken  in the desert of Joshua Tree in southeastern California, the viewer is invited, in an almost mystical face-to-face, to think about the timelessness and universality of artistic expression. Neumann’s eyes see below the photographed subject and consider it in its entirety, with its environment, so as to reveal its real and sincere intimacy. Therefore the observer may live a cathartic experience.

The visuals used for the "Post Pop Depression" album’s iconography are a wonderful reminder of the creative power engendered by the merge of several artistic talents. To create the album’s cover, Andreas Neumann has given full dimension to the fruitful collaboration between Josh Homme, Iggy Pop, Dean Fertita and Matt Helders. Indeed, the characters contrastingly appear in a cold universe, almost alarming, modern, even futuristic or post-apocalyptic. "What interests me are the perspectives," says Neumann, "Josh Homme and I were on the same page. He had found this place, this garage, and he gave me carte blanche to manage the shooting, the choice of angles, the tones and light ... The whole band was very confident and our cooperation has been very productive. The songs of the album inspired me a lot and led me to play with contrasts, it was very important for me to feel these sensations as I was looking for a certain intensity, a strength that I guess I have found and successfully captured in these pictures.”

Alongside Neumann’s photos we can see featured shots of Post Pop Depression Drummer and founding member of Indie Rock Band Arctic Monkeys and photographer, Matt Helders. Helders captured the scene from the inside while recording and living for 3 weeks the legendary desert recording studio Rancho de la Luna”  “ together with the “band” Iggy Pop , Josh Homme and Dean Fertita in the the recording studio desert of  Joshua Tree. Helders shots is stylish documentary B&W using vintage lenses. His shots show a great eye and is capturing always great emotion and story telling detail with great contrasty, sensitivity and human warmth.