Report: Photographer Art Shay hired to document Corgan, Pumpkins 3:40 pm // Sunday, March 21, 2010
Posted by jjb in news, photography.trackback
Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times reports today:
Billy Corgan has tapped legendary Chicago photographer Art Shay to chronicle him for the next three years, as the Smashing Pumpkins rocker completes 40 new songs. It was Shay’s photo book Chicago’s Nelson Algren that inspired Corgan to get Shay to tackle the new project. The musician is a big fan of Art’s — having recently purchased several pictures at Shay’s recent show at Thomas Masters Gallery, as did Corgan’s galpal Jessica Simpson, who snapped up a portrait of Dolly Parton.
Here is an overview of Shay’s career, a recent video interview (given on the occasion of the gallery show referenced above), and a blog about Art Shay.
(Thanks to HU reader “halo” for the heads-up.)
very impressive!
Thats pretty awesome! I’m not a huge fan of his style but it should be interesting all the same. This would be my dream job, if only he did open auditions and hired another 19 year old haha.
someone in the corgan camp will be fuming about this
Very good! I think this is going give a very nice classic look @ Billy’s work for the next few years
I was quite surprised and pleased by this. I was surprised because he had been using Kristin for everything photography related for the past 3-4 years. I’ve noticed most, if not all, of the artwork and videos in the past couple of years has also been coming from in camp (Linda and friends, etc). It would be interesting if a book were released (like the Algren book).
Box set with photobook anyone?
maybe he finally realized he’d be better represented by a more talented and experienced photographer.
i am wondering if the shots will be done in chicago or in LA. kristin is LA based and billy’s been spending a lot of time there. but the fact that so much of shay’s work seems to be focused on chicago makes me wonder if he’d be camped out in LA when billy is working out there.
It will most likely be in Chicago. Art Shay is about 83 years old and has had some health problems as of late. I also doubt that he would leave his wife for an extended amount of time either (she owns and daily runs a popular antique bookstore).
since the studio is in the chicago area, i believe it will be done in chicago
Welcome to “The Family”! ;)
This is very interesting and great news! Hopefully it doesn’t turn into the Zeitgeist documentary by that dude who Billy is no suing.
Kristen Burns just killed herself
thats kinda harsh lol. kristen might be busy, or want to work on other projects for a change.
maybe billy fired her for being a destructive human being.
^ bam.
”maybe billy fired her for being a destructive human being.”
that’s a good one :D.
LOL!
@ Adam
Well played, Sir!
I’m still LOL! HAHA!!
Well u never know to Billy everyone is destructive human being…but himself..And usually when you start pointing fingers at others it, leads back to yourself.I never thought Billy be so closed minded ..so u never know..
Good one @adam..lol
stop repeating the stuff ‘beavis and butthead discount’ said first. it’s so destructive.
Saw in the Chicago Reader that they first met when he tried out to be D’arcy’s replacement in 1999? Now, that’s amusing.
@pins — that ‘they first met’? Who’s they? Art Shay and Corgan? If so, that *is* hilarious. But amazing.
Art Shay is a really spectacular photographer. While I think Kristin Burns has done a fabulous job of giving the Pumpkins a young / colorful / hip look in her photos, I think hiring a prolific ‘artiste’ like Shay is a great move.
Dude has unbelievable manipulation of shadow/light and his stuff reminds me of a rock and roll version of Robert Frank’s mid-century work. This photography geek is lovin’ it.
And it’s no secret BC is a huge photo-history buff. He knows his tastes very well, and I think he’s dead-on with this choice.
Yes, Shay and BC. See link here:
Gossip Wolf
“And it’s no secret BC is a huge photo-history buff. He knows his tastes very well, and I think he’s dead-on with this choice.”
agreed. this is very good news
and florence shay is a gem :)
http://indianhillmediaworks.typepad.com/titles/
[...] of attendees. In the meantime, this picture shows the Pumpkins back at work this morning (is that Art Shay snapping a shot of [...]
[...] Corgan read Art Shay’s book Chicago’s Nelson Algren, and Corgan subsequently hired Shay to document the Smashing Pumpkins over the course of three years.The photographs from Art Shay’s book are now being used in a [...]