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Guided by Voices Frontman ‘Does’ the Collage

With drink in-hand, some of New York’s creative elite and longtimeart lovers mingled at Michael Imperioli’s Studio Dante for openingnight (Dec. 9) of “Do the Collage,” a selection of more than 50-plusworks of collage art from singer/songwriter and Guided by Voicesfrontman Robert Pollard. A reference to GBV’s 1999 album, Do the Collapse,Pollard’s debut art exhibition attracted actors, musicians and artenthusiasts such as GBV bassist Chris Slusarenko, Guster vocalist RyanMiller, members of Brooklyn’s Death of Fashion, and Tony Award-winningactor, Michael Cerveris.

Pollard’s surreal collaged images,which are composed of magazine cutouts of people, rooms and buildingsculled from various decades, showcased a critical, but colorful outlookon mass culture. “I try to take images that I don’t think are thatinteresting but have interesting elements about them. And then I putthem into what I think will be a more interesting environment,” theoutspoken Pollard told SPIN.com.

First introduced to Pollard’sartwork while attending art school, co-host and local visual artistTodd DiCiurcio says it was Guided by Voices’ Alien Lanes LPthat first turned him on to Pollard’s impressionist body of art. “Forme, it’s all about composition,” DiCiurcio said. “The way even hismusic resembles what you’re seeing, it shows just how much of hisexpression follows through all different mediums.” For co-host andactor Michael Imperioli, who’s currently filming The Lovely Boneswith director Peter Jackson, it’s Pollard’s complex use of color thathe finds most appealing. “The colors are different from what we usuallysee today and so vivid, it’s just really imaginative.”

Many ofthe displayed works also served as album covers or song titles fromPollard’s 22-year discography. A visual challenge to every child laborlaw, “Off to Business” will be the cover art for his next solo release,which he plans to start recording in January. One of the better-knownworks on exhibition, “The Astral City Slickers,” which famously depictsthe full deck of cards image from GBV’s Mag Earwhig! album, wasrecently on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “If this issuccessful,” Pollard beamed to SPIN.com, “The next stuff I’m gonna dois going to be downright fucking vulgar.”

We asked: What is your favorite work of collage art by Robert Pollard and why?