King Dusko is kicking off its Spoleto festivities with a night of visual and aural art. The casual upper King Street coffeehouse-cum-art venue is hosting the InstrumentHead exhibition from Brooklyn-based photographer Michael Weintrob for over a week this Spoleto season, with opening night performances in store on May 30 from Ironing Board Sam, plus Dom Flemons from the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
Weintrob specializes in live music photography, but his most recent project InstrumentHead is where he really finds his voice. Since 2008, he’s captured over 400 different musicians as their instruments mask their faces.”I feel like I’ve been able to create something different in the world of photography and the world of music, too,” he says. “Portraits are usually about the eyes, right? Well here, you can’t see the eyes, but you can still feel the image. I’m trying to mix art and music together to tell the story of the artist.
Weintrob chose his subjects carefully, using artists known for their unique look or instruments. Some subjects are more well-known than others, but he loves to use his art to educate about many types of important musicians. “I’m not necessarily shooting Bruce Springsteen, but I’m shooting Bruce Springsteen’s percussionist,” Weintrob says.
The Spoleto exhibition is free and will feature 25 portraits from the eclectic collection, including subjects from Parliament Funkadelic, the Grateful Dead, and locals Sol Driven Train. Guests can order prints on the spot, and a portion of proceeds from print, postcard, or lithograph sales will benefit the Music Maker Foundation.
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