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Lou Reed's Archives To Become Major NYPL Exhibit With "Lou Reed: Caught Between the Twisted Stars"
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Ben Yakas
Published Sep 18, 2021
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David "Dee" Delgado / Gothamist
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 18, 2021
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After acquiring Lou Reed's archives in 2017, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts opened them up in 2019 for fans and historians interested in sorting through a massive amount of his personal effects, recordings, and business papers. But starting next year, the NYPL will curate those materials into Lou Reed: Caught Between the Twisted Stars, the first large-scale exhibition featuring "previously unseen and unheard work from Reed’s incredible archive."
The exhibit, whose name is taken from a line in Reed's classic song "Romeo Had Juliette" from 1989's New York, explores Reed's various music projects as a solo artist, a member of The Velvet Underground, and a collaborator with the likes of wife Laurie Anderson, David Bowie, John Cale, Metallica, and more; live performances; theatrical works with artists including Robert Wilson; articles, books, and poems that he authored; his own photography; and his personal tai-chi study.
"The exhibition will showcase rare and never-before-displayed material from The Lou Reed Archive spanning Reed’s creative life from his 1958 Freeport High School band, The Shades, to his final performances in 2013—audio and video of performances and interviews, photographers’ original prints and contact sheets, handwritten lyrics, personal correspondence, studio notes, album proofs, press, tour posters, and Reed’s personal book and record collections," the NYPL said. Some of his guitars and stage equipment will be on display, along with newly acquired Velvet Underground archival material.
Anderson said in a statement that the exhibit offers a "panoramic picture" of Reed's personal and professional lives, as well as a recreation of the scenes and cities he worked in and loved.
"What better place to have this than in the heart of the city he loved the best?" she said. "My dream has been to make Lou’s work completely accessible to the public. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has made this possible."
The exhibit is set to open on March 2nd, 2022, to coincide with what would have been Reed's 80th birthday. It will be on display through August 27th, 2022.
Back in 2019, Jonathan Haim, curator of music and recorded sound at NYPL, told Gothamist that they had acquired a treasure trove of previously unseen material from Sister Ray Enterprises, Reed's business.
"I like to tell people that in essence this is, in fact, a collection of a rock and roll business," Haim said. "I think seeing how an artist who has a certain type of presence in the public actually makes that work and is thoughtful about how things will work in the future, and mindful of things that didn't work in the past...that'll be a new experience for people." You can see photos from the archives in the gallery up above.
And if you're looking for some quality Reed content this fall, director Todd Haynes' documentary about The Velvet Underground will premiere on AppleTV+ on October 15th.
Tagged
Music
lou reed archives
lou reed
new york public library for the performing arts
nypl
new york public library
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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