Th!nkArt's latest fusion of art, music and culture presents the photographs of famed French rock photographer Richard Bellia.  Th!nkArt Salon in conjunction with Cimmfest 2009, Chicago's inaugural three day celebration of music and film, presents Richard Bellia's solo exhibition which opened Friday, March 6.  It includes many photographs of legendary music icons: The Cure, James Brown, Paul McCartney, The Clash, David Bowie, Radiohead, Nirvana and Marilyn Manson.  The exhibition represents a selection of works featured in Bellia's recent publication Un Oeil sur la Musique: Photographies 1982-2007 [An Eye on Music: Photographs 1982-2007].  This catalogue of images and those shown at Th!nkArt present the viewer with a keen understanding of the photographer's body of work.

As the resident photographer for Britain's popular music magazine Melody Maker, Bellia had the opportunity to be on the road, backstage and intimate with the rock legends of his day.  Richard Bellia is to rock and roll what William Gottlieb is to jazz.  The photographers have the ability to capture the personality of the musician and the emotion of the moment.  Whether it is David Bowie on stage, or Nirvana at Piccadilly Circus, you can hear the crowd, feel the music and understand Bellia's subjects.

Richard Bellia. Robert Smith. 1985. Image courtesy the artist and TH!NKART.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Richard Bellia at the opening and he explained that the poignant portrait of Robert Smith of The Cure is the standout for him in this exhibition.  The photograph captures a sheer moment of honesty between the musician and photographer.  Bellia explained it is a highly symbolic image for him, shot at the beginning of his career and later published in the French newspaper Libération, alongside an editorial by Smith (at the request of the musician).  Th!nkArt's press release quotes the artist's statement about the picture, "I always thought the expression in Robert Smith's eyes conveyed The Cure's inner soul.  When their first album was released, no one knew what they looked like.  Can you imagine seeing into Smith's eyes for the first time?"

-Robyn Farrell Roulo