Jack White, the famously red-and-white-clad maestro of the White Stripes, has apparently decided that being a rock god just isn't quite enough. Now, he's a sculptor, and his art is gracing a London gallery run by none other than the art world's resident provocateur, Damien Hirst.
Because apparently, that's where we are now. Rockstars are moonlighting as serious visual artists, and they're getting major gallery shows.
How This Unexpected Duo Came To Be
The whole thing kicked off in 2021 when White was launching a new Third Man Records store in Nashville. It just so happened to be directly across the street from Hirst's studio. White, being White, marked the occasion with a surprise concert from Hirst's balcony, bringing the entire neighborhood to a standstill. Thousands of people probably forgot where they were for a moment, just to belt out "Seven Nation Army."
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Start Your News DetoxAfter the dust (and presumably, the ringing in everyone's ears) settled, White casually showed Hirst some artworks he'd been secretly tinkering with. Hirst, clearly impressed, suggested they do a show. Five years later, "Jack White: THESE THOUGHTS MAY DISAPPEAR" is opening at Newport Street Gallery, running from May 29 to September 13.
White's artistic inclinations aren't entirely new. The White Stripes' second album, De Stijl, was named after a Dutch art movement, and their iconic red-and-white aesthetic was definitely a deliberate design choice. However, he's never publicly presented himself as a visual artist. He told the Financial Times he wanted to put music aside for this project, specifically to avoid his art being dismissed as a mere rockstar hobby.
His work focuses on transforming found objects and creating furniture-like pieces, drawing on his past life as an upholsterer. The exhibition will feature a collection of sculptures, furniture designs, notebooks, and photography. Hirst, ever the eloquent one, praised White's work, stating that "anything done well can be art." He noted White's range and sensitivity, observing that his surreal objects have a knack for both repelling and drawing people in. Which, if you think about it, sounds a lot like Hirst's own work.
So, if you thought you had Jack White pegged, think again. He's not just making music; he's making the kind of art that gets Damien Hirst's seal of approval. And that's a sentence we didn't expect to type today.
