Following the success of 2014’s debut outing, here at Bloodstock HQ we are delighted to announce that the Rock and Metal (RAM) Gallery will once again be part of the festival’s on-site attractions.
Showcasing a selection of art and memorabilia, the exhibition will expand on last year’s event and will feature work by our very own BLOODSTOCK co-founder Paul Raymond Gregory, himself an acclaimed artist with an extensive body of work which includes many famous album sleeves and monolithic pieces inspired by the writings of JRR Tolkien.
Returning again this year is the amazing guitar maker/luthier, Cynosure. Working to re-define the guitar not just as a functional instrument, but as a working, playable piece of art, he will present several of his unique creations including the brand new RAM Guitar, specially commissioned by Paul Raymond Gregory. Click for more info at www.cynosureguitars.com/ or www.facebook.com/CynosureGuitars.
Renowned artist Mark Wilkinson will also have works on display. Mark is the mastermind behind many iconic albums sleeves for Marillion, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and The Darkness, amongst others. 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of Marillion’s iconic third album, ‘Misplaced Childhood’, so Mark’s inclusion in the gallery is especially timely. More of Mark’s work can be viewed at his website, www.the-masque.com.
Emphasizing the link between music, imagery and the written word, the exhibition will also feature the work of photographers and authors. Fiaz Farrelly and Alison Richards will both be displaying a selection of their dynamic rock photography, while Ramon Martos, author of ‘…And Justice For Art – Stories About Heavy Metal Album Covers’ and Alex Lewis, author of ‘J.R.R.Tolkien: Codemaker, Spy-master, Hero’, will also be represented. Ramon’s book tells the tales behind some of metal’s best-known album sleeves, while Alex’s work on Tolkien brings together Paul Raymond Gregory’s own Tolkien-inspired creations and the enormous influence that The Lord Of The Rings and Tolkien’s other writings have had on metal music.
More information on exhibitors is available at Paul’s website, www.studio54.co.uk.
Professionally hung, lit and housed in a specially constructed space, the exhibition marks a step in the long term goal of establishing a new permanent rock venue, with Paul returning to his roots as an artist & gallery owner in support of both art and music. The proposed venue in Derbyshire would include a live music space with bar, rehearsal and recording facilities, and a permanent exhibition space. A true hub for British rock and metal in the heart of the Midlands, the true birthplace of metal. Check out more on Paul’s idea here: www.studio54.co.uk/index.php/rock-and-metal-museum/
