It was an incredible privilege to be invited to the opening of Jonathan Rach’s Nine Inch Nails gallery. While standing outside waiting for the doors to open a handful of us gather outside 524 Flinders Street Melbourne. Behind The Galleries Stephen Dallimore’s vision and curation of this remarkable time capsule was a joy to experience. From the first image displayed a photo of Trent Resnor’s intense stare down of the cameras lens greets you. The pure power in and of this image is spellbinding. The grain within the image gives you incredible depth the gesture of the lightly textured satin paper it is printed on adds yet another dimension to one of my favourite images on display.
As you move through the gallery of twenty five images captured throughout Nine Inch Nails “Self Destruct Tour” you are pulled and pushed into an emotive journey. The journey of a band that truly were ground breaking in so many ways. Nine Inch Nails were the absolute middle finger to the world around us, but a middle finger with integrity, power and purpose. From moments of destruction and chaos to the soft side of the band and the life of a band on the road it is all there in this stunning display of imagery.
Having formed a relationship with Jonathan Rach through my earlier interview with him, last night’s exhibit opening was extra special. I was greeted by Rach and his family in the most wonderful and warm ways.
Having Rach tell me stories behind some of the images that not only captured my interest through the apparent and obvious emotion of these images I discovered the back stories further dropped my jaw. Being a photographer you got another insight and whether it be the environment and conditions of the photo or the chance of moments aligning. It put a whole new perspective behind what you were witnessing. One image in particular has a story behind it that simply gave me goosebumps. That’s a story for Rach to tell though.
There was a smaller gallery of images taken on that tour of support artists and key figures from that tour. Stunning images of David Bowie, Lou Reed and Maynard James Kennan grace the wall and tell their own stories of a moment captured in time.
A final gallery for Rach’s work with Reznor and Nine Inch Nails from 2018 adorns the last wall. Arranged in a less chaotic manner it captured so many elements of those six Hollywood Paladium shows Rach was asked to capture. There is one image and you will know it when you see it that just hits so perfectly and sums up the power of live music photography. This gallery was captured in digital form but its composition and story have such a draw to it.
That initial galleries of photos taken from beat up negatives and slides has such an incredible warmth to it. Beauty in rawness, power in subject. It is the perfect meshing of chaos and disorder in a perfectly imperfect art form. There is an image of fans in one photo and to be honest to take in everything in that image is a journey itself.
Curator Stephen Dallimore needs to be commended on his selection of image and the layout which was done by Dallimore and Rach is storytelling at its finest. Dallimore must be commended on his love of the art of live music photography. I the moments I spoke with him he is truly a champion of the art form and has many things in the works to bring to life in further Behind The Gallery events.
This Saturday there will be a live Q&A session with Rach in person at the gallery from 12:30-2 about this collection of images, his career and journey to becoming so respected by artist and creatives. It will be an amazing in depth look at a man that has not only left his mark on culture, arts and humanity. Rach has inspired in our interactions, his images and by what is possible if you believe in trust, luck, hope and stepping outside your comfort zones. It is a gallery you need to see and Saturday will be an event not to be missed.
