Art World
Death Grips Singer Gets Solo Exhibition of Dark, Moody Paintings
The vocalist's first show is aptly titled 'Solo Exhibition.'
Alyssa Buffenstein
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California punk/hip hop group Death Grips are no strangers to the stage, but now, vocalist Stefan Burnett, AKA MC Ride, is set to showcase another side of his creative self in his very first art exhibition, with the straightforward title, “Solo Exhibition.”
It will take place at LA’s Slow Culture gallery, located in the neighborhood of Highland Park, from January 7 – 28, 2017, the Fader reports.
Pleasantly, this doesn’t seem like a musician overstepping their boundaries into a discipline that might not make sense for them. On the contrary, Burnett’s acrylic paintings, some of which can be seen on his website, show a developed and consistent style, and a talent for realistic rendering.
He works in a color palette of deep blue, gray, and black, portraying moody and morbid subjects. One is a classic momento mori—a human skull sitting in a jewel-encrusted chalice. Another, a portrait, shows a woman with worried eyes and a dark liquid dripping from her mouth.
And then there is the recurring creepy dismembered baby doll motif, or the one with four figures appearing to be hung from invisible nooses.
Not much information is available about “Solo Exhibition,” besides that it is organized by David Wilfert, editor-in-charge of the Brooklyn-based art, culture, and entertainment website The World’s Best Ever. The gallery’s website shows an image of a painting by Burnett of a group of middle-aged and elderly people holding hands around a round table with a bouquet of flowers, as if in prayer.
Death Grips have more than a few high-profile fans, from the late David Bowie to Björk, for whom the group made a couple of remixes. They have also collaborated with actor Robert Pattinson, and have been seen mingling with Beyoncé. So perhaps the chance of a celebrity sighting or two could be another reason not to miss the exhibition’s opening night.
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