Dr. Dre Is a Knight, Kendrick Lamar Gets Abstract and Billie Eilish Is Chaos in Interscope Records’ LACMA Exhibition

Interscope Records is launching its 30 th anniversary celebration in an imaginative manner with more than 50 artworks at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) called “Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined.” This exhibition will feature new works by a diverse group of visual artists — including Cecily Brown, Julie Curtiss, Shepard Fairey, Lauren Halsey, Damien Hirst, Rashid Johnson, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Kehinde Wiley, and many others — that were inspired by the music of some of Interscope’s most influential recording artists, including 2Pac, Billie Eilish, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Gwen Stefani, Juice WRLD, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, MGK, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, Olivia Rodrigo, Selena Gomez, Snoop Dogg and U2 and to name a few. A complete list of visual artists and the music creators they are paired with is below.

The first three artist images were revealed on Thursday: Kehinde Wiley has created a work inspired by Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic 2001”; Cecily Brown has created a work inspired by Billie Eilish’s EP “dont smile at me,” and Rashid Johnson has created a work inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid M.A.A.D. City” album.

The project was organized by Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine, current chairman John Janick and music executive Josh Abraham, along with Interscope Vice Chairman Steve Berman, who worked closely with all of the music and visual artists. The team also worked with LACMA Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Design Staci Steinberger to organize the exhibition.

“Interscope’s original mission was to find the most profound artists, empower their creativity and watch what happens,” said Iovine. “For the 30th, we wanted to continue that vision by assembling the most admired visual artists and empower them with that same creative license to honor the musical artists we have worked with over three decades.”

John Janick, Chairman, Interscope Geffen A&M commented: “From its earliest days, Interscope’s roster has included one-of-a-kind artists who clearly moved culture, and that’s something that we work to honor every single day in our current work at the label. In conversation with one of our label partners Justin Lubliner, he sparked this idea. As Jimmy, Berm, Josh Abraham and I reached out to the visual artist community, we realized that having them create a lasting visual legacy that honors our artists’ music would be a hugely powerful tribute. The fact that so many of the world’s most acclaimed fine artists came together so eagerly to contribute to this project, and the fact that our own recording artists were as equally enthusiastic, is a deeply meaningful tribute to Interscope and one that we are immensely grateful for. Having these artworks debut at LACMA, one of the world’s most prestigious museums, is hugely gratifying for all of us who have been connected with Interscope over these past three decades. Sir Lucian Grainge’s enduring support of Interscope’s unique voice and vision over the years has helped make it possible for Interscope to foster an ambitious artistic endeavor of this magnitude.”

Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group said, “I’m so proud that Interscope’s culture of boundless creativity provides its artists with the widest palette possible with which to express themselves. As a result, Interscope and its artists have not only consistently delivered some of the world’s most influential music, but also created groundbreaking visual media. It is fitting that the great work of Interscope’s artists be reinterpreted by leading visual artists in a way that celebrates their unique visions as well as three decades of this iconic label.”

“There is a long history of record album covers being designed by visual artists,” said LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan. “As an institution that has long explored the intersection of art and other sectors, including design and music, LACMA has been collecting record album designs over the past several years, and it’s inspiring to see these artists reinterpret three decades of iconic contemporary music.”

“Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined” will be on view Sunday, January 30 through February 13, 2022, in LACMA’s Resnick Pavilion. Timed-entry general admission tickets will be released on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 10 am on the museum’s website and will include access to Interscope Reimagined. Visit LACMA’s website for more information.

VISUAL ARTISTS MUSICAL ARTISTS

Adam Pendleton Dr. Dre – The Chronic

Amoako Boafo 6LACK – FREE 6LACK

Anna Park Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?

Anna Weyant Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape

Burnt Toast Timbaland – Shock Value*

Burnt Toast N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds

Cecily Brown Billie Eilish-dont smile at me

Chloe Wise Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

Damien Hirst Eminem – Entire Catalogue

Derrick Adams Mary J. Blige – The Breakthrough

Ed Ruscha 2Pac – All Eyez On Me

Emily Mae Smith Nine Inch Nails – Broken

Ferrari Sheppard Blackstreet – “No Diggity”

Genesis Tramaine Summer Walker – Over It

Henni Alftan Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR

Henry Taylor Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. (“DNA”)

Hilary Pecis Selena Gomez – Rare

Issy Wood Gwen – Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (“Cool”)

Jenna Gribbon Lana Del Rey – Born To Die

Jennifer Guidi BLACKPINK – THE ALBUM

John Currin U2 – “Beautiful Day”

Jordy Kerwick MGK- Tickets to My Downfall (“My Bloody Valentine”)

Julie Curtiss No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom (“Just a Girl”)

KAWS Dogg – Doggystyle

Kehinde Wiley Dr. Dre – The Chronic 2001

Lauren Halsey Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly

Lisa Yuskavage Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever

Loie Hollowell Lady Gaga – Fame Monster

Lucy Bull No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom (“Spiderwebs”)

Mark Quinn MGK – Tickets to My Downfall

Matthew Wong Lana Del Rey – Paradise

Fulton Leroy Washington

AKA Mr. Wash The Game – The Documentary

Nicolas Party Lady Gaga – Joanne

Nina Chanel Abney 2Pac – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory

OSGEMEOS Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.

Rashid Johnson Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid MAAD City

Raymond Pettibon Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell

Reggie Burrows Hodges Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City (“Swimming Pools” (Drank))

Richard Prince Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral

Sayre Gomez 50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’

Shepard Fairey Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell

Stanley Whitney Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly (“King Kunta”)

Takashi Murakami Juice WRLD – Goodbye and Good Riddance

Titus Kaphar Eve – Scorpion

Toyin Ojih Odutola Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Umar Rashid Tupac – Me Against The World

Will Boone Helmet – Meantime

* NFT

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