ROCK MEMORIES

Sex, Drugs, Rock Stars, Serial Killers, and Presidents…
Why shouldn’t you give guacamole to Kurt Cobain?
Or milk and red peppers to David Bowie?
Who among Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, or John Lennon urinated on the mixing console while John Lennon was recording the album Rock ‘n’ Roll?And was Phil Spector really a surgeon?
These are just some of the questions answered by Swan, a character created by illustrator Olivier Boscovitch and writer Marc Dolisi.An enigmatic figure, Swan made a pact with the Devil of rock. Swan has been around since rock’s inception—he was everywhere, all the time, seeing it all.
For the first time, he narrates and illustrates these incredible but true stories.Millions of rock fans have heard of these wild tales, but there have been no images to verify them, only the testimonies of the key players.It was time to reveal these stories that had become fascinating urban legends, obscure objects of desire, fantasies spun and amplified by contagious word of mouth.The Exhibition
Organized and curated by François Darmigny (photographer and exhibition curator) along with the comic book authors, the Rock Memories exhibition showcases limited edition prints from the comic book and original works inspired by the stories told and illustrated in the comic. Various installations also feature objects that echo the storyline, some of which have been lent by antique dealers, record sellers, gallery owners, and merchants from the Marché Dauphine.

The Authors
Olivier Boscovitch was seven years old when his teenage cousins introduced him to the Eagles, Supertramp, Boney M, and the Rolling Stones. A year later, it was a song by these Satanic Majesties that gave him the rock ‘n’ roll bug: “Fool to Cry,” from the Black and Blue album, with Jagger’s crooning over the lilt of a Fender Rhodes, left a lasting impression on the young boy.Later, as a rebellious student, he let his imagination wander over the androgynous figures of Jagger and Bowie, embraced Johnny Rotten’s defiant attitude, and decided to channel his talent for drawing into his passions: rock, punk, and electro.For the past thirty years, Olivier’s work has illuminated the evolution of major musical genres, with flyers, artistic direction, and music videos for David Guetta, Bob Sinclar, Pedro Winter, and Rush’s guitarist, as well as graphic columns in magazines.

Marc Dolisi recalls his first records.
At the age of eight, he was already listening to Between the Buttons, a record his older brother had discarded to remain loyal to the Beatles; then Cosmos Factory, which he played until it wore out on his record player; and the same goes for Abraxas, In the Court of the Crimson King, Idlewild South, Aladdin Sane, and Led Zep III…These memories never fade. Even as he grew older and his ears opened to a delightful mix of Coltrane, Miles, Bach, Sibelius, Ligeti, John Lee Hooker, Arvo Pärt, Sam Cooke, Magma, William Orbit… the list reads like a phone book. A poor musician, he traded the keys of his piano for those of his Mac. He has edited magazines, including VSD, and written several novels and biographies, often with music as a central character, such as those on Joe Strummer and Charlie Watts. Coming soon: a novel about the last moments of Sam Cooke.

François Darmigny’s Rock Education
François Darmigny’s rock education as a child happened at the speed of the Lumière brothers’ films. Within a few months, he moved from Elvis and Eddie Cochran to Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, The Who, Pink Floyd, and Neil Young.He photographed Neil Young during his concert in Annecy on August 31, 1982. François was 18 and working for France Soir. With the boldness of youth, he climbed on stage uninvited to capture the “Loner” up close. He was swiftly escorted off by security but managed to return. Shortly after, he made the front page of the newspaper with his photo of Téléphone.Since then, François has become a renowned photographer, the preferred photographer of Johnny Hallyday, Charles Aznavour, Dave Stewart, and a myriad of other personalities, forming connections that are as much about his artistic talent as his human qualities.

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Practical Information
Rock Memories Exhibition
Open until December 22, 2024
Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM
Free admission

The comic book will be published on October 3 by Éditions Erick Bonnier/Encre Rock label.