What Music Do Artists Listen to While They Work?
At one LA-based printmaking workshop, atmosphere was everything
Richard Serra stomping oil stick through wire mesh to create a texture, 1998, Sidney B. Felsen. Getty Research Institute, 2019.R.41
Body Content
A rock song echoes off the walls as a man in a jumpsuit stomps forcefully up and down on top of what looks like a puddle of thick black oil.
It’s not a 90s mosh pit; it’s the artist Richard Serra at work in the acclaimed Los Angeles artist’s workshop Gemini G.E.L. Co-founder Sidney B. Felsen, who photographed this moment of dynamic inspiration, noted that the musical vibe in the studio was an important part of the creative process.
“There's very loud rock n’ roll music playing and [Serra’s] dancing—he's dancing on this circle of black oil stick [oil paint in stick form] and he’s making texture. The picture doesn't reflect the action, but he's actually jumping up and down and moving around until he finds a texture that he likes. Richard is like a steam locomotive: if he's doing something, get out of his way, or he’ll just blow you away.”
For several artists and printers, and for Felsen himself, music has played a central role at Gemini. Some artists listened to music while they worked, while others took inspiration from a musician or a particular song.
This playlist includes songs contributed or inspired by Felsen, Stanley Grinstein, artists Tacita Dean, Julie Mehretu, Elizabeth Murray, Ken Price, Allen Ruppersberg, Analia Saban, as well as master printers Xavier Fumat, and Case Hudson.
Listen while you explore the exhibition First Came a Friendship: Sidney B. Felsen and the Artists at Gemini G.E.L., on view at the Getty Center from February 20–July 7, 2024.
