$79,368 raised out of $50,000
Overview
Platform
Indiegogo
Backers
1
Start date
Jun 20, 2022
Close date
Jun 21, 2022
Concept

A book of downtown NYC artists and musicians, 1974-1984. Iggy, Bowie, Warhol, Ramones, Blondie!

Story

The first comprehensive collection of Bobby Grossman’s photographs, offered in a deluxe, limited edition. This 224-page book includes rarities and never before published photographs from the New York underground of the 1970s and 80s.

Jean-Michel Basquiat, December 14, 1980.

The subjects in this book include: Andy Warhol, Talking Heads, Blondie, Ramones, Lou Reed, David Bowie, The B-52’s, Iggy Pop, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Diego Cortez, Cookie Mueller, John Waters, Jackie Curtis, Vincent Fremont, Lester Bangs, Nile Rodgers, Robert Fripp, Anya Phillips, Gerard Malanga, Patti Smith Group, Richard Hell, Grace Jones, Glenn O’Brien, William Burroughs and countless other cultural icons from the period.

Talking Heads at ODO studios, July 18, 1977.

Accompanying Grossman’s stunning images and personal accounts are contributions by: Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Fab 5 Freddy Brathwaite, Richard Boch, Walter Steding, Sylvia Reed, David Godlis, Vincent Fremont, Duncan Hannah, Victor Bockris, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Max Blagg, Lisa Jane Persky, Robert Fripp, Lenny Kaye, Amos Poe, Carlo McCormick, Suzanne Mallouk, Meg Griffin, Jamie Nares, Thurston Moore, Legs McNeil, Max Blagg, Kate Simon, Ed Stasium, Robyn Geddes, Guy Furrow, Paul Zone, Andy Schwartz, Julia Gorton, Hal & Randy Ludacer, Claudia Summers, Chocomoo, and PUNK magazine publisher John Holmstrom. Preface by Lisa Jane Persky, introduction by Glenn O’Brien and afterword by Richard Boch.

Bobby Grossman with Iggy Pop, April 21, 1980.

Bobby Grossman arrived in New York in 1976 after receiving a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where he studied alongside friends Chris Frantz and David Byrne of Talking Heads. His first job was assisting Richard Bernstein, the artist responsible for the striking covers for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. Bernstein’s studio, located at the legendary Chelsea Hotel, is where Grossman found himself at ground zero in the early days of Punk and the downtown art scene.

Sid Vicious and Johnny Thunders, 1978.

Bobby Grossman became a regular fixture at CBGB, the Mudd Club and other downtown haunts where he took photographs of friends and newfound acquaintances including David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Alex Chilton, Jackie Curtis, Claudia Summers, and the milieu around Andy Warhol’s Factory.

Annie Golden, 1976.

In 1977 Grossman designed the sleeve for the hit single Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads. In 2021 Blondie released “Yuletide Throwdown” featuring Fab 5 Freddy with Grossman’s photo of Debbie Harry and Freddy on the back of the record sleeve.

Grossman also served as the official photographer for Glenn O’Brien’s TV Party, the uniquely original weekly public access television show that David Letterman described as “…the greatest TV show anywhere, ever!” TV Party ran from 1978-1982 and captured the countless artists and innovators on the scene including Chris Stein, Basquiat, Fab 5 Freddy, Kate Simon, Walter Steding, James Chance, Patti Astor, Nile Rogers, and Klaus Nomi.

William Burroughs and Andy Warhol at the Factory, 1980.

Bobby Grossman’s work was included in the groundbreaking 1981 exhibition, “New York/New Wave” at P.S.1. alongside more than one hundred artists including Kenny Scharf, Robert Mapplethorpe, Keith Haring, Brian Eno, and Nan Goldin. Grossman’s work has appeared in numerous publications and documentaries, though the majority of his archive has remained unseen until now.

LOW FIDELITY will be limited to only 750 individually numbered copies.

Every copy of LOW FIDELITY is individually numbered and hand signed by up to 20 contributors. The contributor signatures are: Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, Shepard Fairey, Bobby Grossman, Dagon James, Vincent Fremont, Robert Fripp, Duncan Hannah, Godlis, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Amos Poe, Sylvia Reed, Lisa Jane Persky, Richard Boch, Meg Griffin, and John Holmstrom. The 20th signature is Glenn O’Brien’s estate signature stamp. 

Every COLLECTOR (level 3) book comes with the first 2 signature sheets. Every DELUXE edition (level 4) comes with all 4 signature sheets bound into the book.

Every COLLECTOR book is signed, individually numbered and comes bound in a beautifully printed ultra-glossy hardcover, quarter-bound in soft linen with silver gilt pages. The COLLECTOR edition book is available on its own or in a premium slipcase.

COLLECTOR (Level 1) – $85  

Limited to 300 numbered copies.

Hardcover Quarter-bound book.

Silver gilt pages.

Signed & Numbered by Photographer Bobby Grossman.

COLLECTOR + PRINT (Level 2) – $195  

Limited to 150 numbered copies.

Hardcover Quarter-bound book.

Premium printed slipcase.

Silver gilt pages.

One signed 8×10″ archival pigment print. 

Your name printed in the book on the acknowledgement page.

Signed & Numbered by 2 contributors: Photographer Bobby Grossman & Editor Dagon James.

COLLECTOR PREMIUM (Level 3) – $395 

Limited to 150 numbered copies.

Hardcover Quarter-bound book with Debbie Harry cover.

Premium printed slipcase.

Silver gilt pages.

One signed 8×10″ archival pigment print.

Your name printed in the book on the acknowledgement page.

Each COLLECTOR PREMIUM book is Signed by 12 contributors: Bobby Grossman, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Shepard Fairey, Fab 5 Freddy, Duncan Hannah, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Amos Poe, Robert Fripp, and Dagon James. 

DELUXE edition book and slipcase with graphics designed by Shepard Fairey.

The DELUXE hardcover book is bound in a slipcase with Debbie Harry art designed by Shepard Fairey with gold gilt pages. Every DELUXE book is signed by 20 contributors and comes with an 8×10″ archival pigment print hand signed by Bobby Grossman. 

DELUXE (Level 4) – $495  

Limited to 150 numbered copies.

Hardcover book with Debbie Harry cover art designed by Shepard Fairey.

Bespoke slipcase unique to the DELUXE edition.

Gold gilt pages.

One signed 8×10″ archival pigment print. 

Your name printed in the book on the acknowledgement page.

Every DELUXE book is Signed by 20 contributors: Bobby Grossman, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Fab 5 Freddy Brathwaite, Shepard Fairey, Robert Fripp, Duncan Hannah, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Meg Griffin, Amos Poe, Lisa Jane Persky, David Godlis, Sylvia Reed, John Holmstrom, Richard Boch, Vincent Fremont, and Dagon James. The 20th signature is Glenn O’Brien’s estate signature stamp.

Book levels 3 and 4 come with an 8×10″ museum quality, archival pigment print hand signed by Bobby Grossman. Choose one from the four options below. 

Jean-Michel Basquiat on Bleecker Street (1980)

Jackie Curtis and David Bowie at the Mudd Club (1979)

Debbie Harry (1980)

Fab 5 Freddy, Debbie Harry and Lee Quiñones (1980)

After you make your pledge, you will be taken to a new menu of ADD-ON options where you can add exclusive rarities to your pledge. Some of the add-ons include signed prints, silkscreen posters, buttons and extra copies of LOW FIDELITY!

$10 – Set of 5 Low Fidelity buttons

A set of five limited edition LOW FIDELITY pin buttons to share with your friends! 

 $20 – Set of 10 Postcards

A set of ten super cool, limited edition postcards. You get Annie Golden, Glenn O’Brien, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Bobby Grossman and John Waters, Feb 5 Freddy, David Bowie and Jackie Curtis, Lou Reed, Talking Heads and Debbie Harry.

$25 – “Corn Flakes Series” Zine

A 24-page zine collecting Bobby Grossman’s “Corn Flakes Series” from 1978-79. Featured in the series are David Byrne, Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Richard Hell, Robert Fripp and more! Every copy is hand signed & numbered by Grossman.

$25 – Polaroid Series Zine

A 24-page zine collecting a selection of Bobby Grossman’s Polaroids from 1974-84. Featured in the series are Glenn O’Brien, Andy Warhol, Jackie Curtis, Holly Woodlawn, Lou Reed, Robert Fripp, Duncan Hannah and more! Every copy is hand signed & numbered by Grossman.

$40 – Low Fidelity Signed & Numbered Silkscreen Exhibition Poster

LOW FIDELITY 13×21″ boxing style, silkscreen poster from Grossman’s 2022 NYC “HOWL” exhibition. This poster is signed and numbered from an edition of 175. 

$395 – Signed Andy Warhol/Corn Flakes Print

A 20 X 20″ signed archival pigment print of Bobby Grossman’s contact sheet featuring Andy Warhol eating a bowl of Corn Flakes in 30 frames! 

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