These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things - Daniel Johnston / Devendra Banhart / Jeffrey Lewis / Jad Fair / Kimya Dawson Art Exhibition

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Miy Paluk presents

‘These Are a Few of My Favourite Things’

20th February – 5th March 2004

Spitz Gallery
109 Commercial Street, Old Spitalfields Market, London, E1 6BG

Open every day, 12 noon - 5pm. Free admission
Info: 020 7392 9032
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street

Miy Paluk proudly presents ‘These Are a Few of My Favourite Things’ – an exclusive art exhibition featuring original works from five of the most celebrated and unique US underground musicians of recent times:

Daniel Johnston
Jad Fair
Devendra Banhart
Jeffrey Lewis
Kimya Dawson

As with their music, these musicians create visual art from the depths of their own personalities and for themselves and nobody else, works of outstanding originality in concepts, subject and medium.

‘These are a Few of My Favourite Things’ offers a rare chance to gain a greater insight into the minds of these five truly original and talented artists.

Daniel Johnston:
Daniel Johnston is the musicians’ cult musician, maintaining the support of many famous fans, from Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) and Johnny Depp to David Bowie and Kurt Cobain. However, Daniel’s career, spanning over 20 years, has not been easy, having been plagued by mental illness.
Through both music and visual art, Daniel continues to exert a powerful creative presence, tackling his inner demons with unflinching honesty. Painful yet beautiful.
While for some Daniel’s work may be regarded as simply childish and naïve, for others it is the purest form of art.

Jad Fair:
Jad Fair formed his first band, Half Japanese, in the late 70’s. Half Japanese’s rudimentary style was a celebration of a pure DIY spirit. It is this spirit that has earned Jad the status of an underground cult hero, as well accolades from the musical fraternity - Kurt Cobain personally invited Half Japanese to be the opening act on Nirvana's 1993 ‘In Utero’ tour.
As a solo artist, Jad has collaborated with Teenage Fanclub, Yo La Tengo, The Pastels and Mo Tucker of the Velvet Underground amongst others.
Jad is the master of the paper cut-out, rendering the many facets of evil in black card. Jad’s work is at times funny, exquisite, disturbing and intricate, but most of all beautiful.

Devendra Banhart:
Devendra Banhart is a truly unique artist. His music inhabits a magically twisted world. Using just voice, guitar, broken four-track and occasional handclaps as percussion, Devendra weaves an eerie, naked, surreal and utterly compelling tapestry.
Devendra’s visual work, influenced by Native American and African tribal art, is equally as unique, complimenting the scratchy veneer of his music. Although Devendra’s world appears an eerie place, it is also full of light and space.

Jeffrey Lewis:
Jeffrey Lewis grew up with loving beatnik parents in an East 9th Street tenement. Having no television in the household, Jeffrey became a comic book fanatic before he even knew how to read.
After writing minimalist songs on an old guitar belonging to his father and playing regular slots at Antifolk open mics, Jeffrey signed to the legendary Rough Trade record label.
Jeffrey continues to be a prolific comic book artist, spending months locked away working on various comic projects, some fictional, some autobiographical, all of which he creates primarily for himself.

Kimya Dawson:
Raised in her parent’s home day care centre, Kimya Dawson grew up on a diet of Sesame Street and Muppets albums. She studied theatre with Antonio Fargas (Car Wash, Starsky and Hutch) and started collecting soundtracks of Broadway musicals. Self conscious about her voice and never quite fitting in, she sat alone in her bedroom singing songs from Annie, Cats and Oliver.
As part of the New York Antifolk community, Kimya found a home and formed performance art duo The Moldy Peaches with Adam Green.
As with her music, Kimya’s paintings are silly yet raw, tender yet vulnerable. Kimya combines humour and sorrow in her paintings as a personal healing device. She is the quintessential bohemian artist.

For further information contact:
Debbie Mortimer
miypaluk@hotmail.com