Heavy Metal is – obviously – mostly about the music, but like with any other musical genre there is also a visual aspect to it. Long hair, leather jackets, tattoos, wild stage shows, Metal Shirts and elaborate album covers are all things that people associate with Heavy Metal for a reason. They are a part of Heavy Metal culture, they are a part of *our* culture and deserve our respect just as much as the music does.
This is also why we decided to do an article about a different kind of artist for once, a painter. Yes, a painter. Artists like Sebastian Krüger are obviously not in the spot light on stage, but Heavy Metal would be quite a different genre if it was not for artists like Sebastian Krüger who provide our beloved genre with visualisations of what we associate with *our* music.
It would be unfair to only see him as a painter whose job it is to support other (Metal) artists with his own art though. Sebastian Krüger’s Metal related art is in fact just a small fraction of what he did and still does as an artist. It is something that he did with great skill, but the more you see of his art the more obvious it becomes that Sebastian Krüger is one of those artists who need total artistic freedom without any restrictions imposed on them by others. This is also why this article will not only cover Krüger’s Metal related work, but also the rest of his art.
Anyway, let’s begin with a selection of his work for Tankard, because without them the exhibition would likely never have gained our attention.
Some other examples from other bands presented in the exhibition:
Many of his Metal covers did not make it into the exhibition, including some of my favourite covers he created for the band Risk:
Sebastian Krüger also painted two covers for Running Wild (“Port Royal” and “Death or Glory”) which were not included in the exhibition, but any fan who knows these covers will likely understand this particular decision.
Fortunately, the pinnacle of his Metal related career made the cut though. If only more bands sold bedclothes…
Further impressions:
All this here is just an excerpt, of course. The actual exhibition contains much more to see and will also give you an idea of Krüger’s artistic excursions into politically motivated satire. Also, when you are already there then go and pay the top floor, or rather the permanent exhibition a visit. It is worth it!
Links:
http://www.sebastiankruger.com/
http://caricatura-museum.de/krueger.html
Caricature Museum, Daueraustellung
Great report, Markus – thanks for sharing!