Shutter to Think: The Rock & Roll Lens of Paul Natkin
Produced by the Elmhurst Historical Museum
Paul Natkin is widely considered to be one of Chicago’s greatest music photographers. Starting in the mid 1970s, Natkin traveled the world capturing signature moments of drama, excitement, outrageousness, and excess that propelled rock’s tumultuous history. His astute eye and knack for capturing “the decisive moment” have earned international acclaim and resulted in numerous magazine and album covers.
Learn the stories behind many of Natkin’s photos of rock icons in their early careers including Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Ozzy Osbourne and many more. The exhibit narrative was written by Chicago Sun-Times staff writer Dave Hoekstra.
The exhibit features dramatic large imagery and incisive interview video segments produced by the Tribeca Flashpoint Academy for Media Arts.
“Shutter to Think: The Rock & Roll Lens of Paul Natkin” was curated and designed by Lance Tawzer, Curator for the Elmhurst Historical Museum.
CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER WELCOMES EXHIBITION OF CHICAGO’S OWN LEGENDARY ROCK MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHER
“Shutter to Think: The Rock & Roll Lens of Paul
Natkin”
Opens Friday, September 20
The western’s suburbs loss is the City of Chicago’s gain as
the Chicago Cultural Center’s first-floor Garland Gallery (78 E. Washington) will
now be home to “Shutter to Think: The Rock & Roll Lens of Paul Natkin”, an exhibition displaying the work of
Chicago’s premiere music photographer. The exhibition, opening on Friday,
September 20, in conjunction with the city’s first ever Chicago Music Summit,
just completed a successful run at the Elmhurst Historical Museum.
The exhibition contains a veritable who’s who of rock music
legends including Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and The Rolling Stones as
well as superstars of other genres including Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, Buddy
Guy, and the first concert Natkin ever photographed, Bonnie Raitt.
Shutter to Think
will also include several monitors embedded with the larger photographs that
feature Natkin speaking about the moment of shooting that image.
Natkin’s chosen field was the family business as his father
had worked for years as a well-known photographer. Though the senior Natkin
left the field to raise his family, a return to photography in the world of
sports inspired Paul to follow in his footsteps.
In 1975, Natkin began going to concerts and shooting the
shows, eventually finding a way to make a living at it by acquiring magazine
and newspaper clients, and working with record company publicity departments.
During the 1980s Natkin was a frequent contributor to Creem Magazine, and his
work has appeared in many other music magazines (Rolling Stone,
Circus, Hit Parader) as well as
many mainstream magazines including Newsweek, Time,
People,
Playboy,
Ebony
and Entertainment Weekly.
Natkin has worked as the tour photographer for both Keith
Richards and Rolling Stones concert tours, spent five years as staff
photographer of the Oprah Winfrey Show, and now is involved with charities that
deal with social issues such as Farm Aid, Rock for Reading and the Chicago Music
Commission.
However, Natkin continues to photograph musicians of all
kinds whether covering acts at the Chicago Jazz Festival or the latest up and
coming acts at small clubs throughout Chicago.
Shutter to Think: The
Rock & Roll Lens of Paul Natkin will be on exhibition through January
4, 2014. The Garland Gallery is open every day; hours are Monday-Thursday, 9
a.m.-7 p.m. and Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; closed holidays. For more
information, call 312.744.3316; TTY 312.744.2964 or visit chicagoculturalcenter.org