The Illustrated Lyrics of Old Man Crow
03 - 25 September 2016

 

This project celebrates four decades of music by iconic Blues and Roots singer/songwriter Rod Morgan (aka. Old Man Crow) and 25 years of collaboration with his partner, illustrator & bookbinder Mo Orkiszewski.

In this exhibition, the songwriting of Old Man Crow is honoured with a collection of 38 beautifully rendered illustrations that bring to life his heart-felt lyrics seasoned with wry observations of life in Sydney’s Inner West.

The result of four years of intensive drawing (2011–2015), the original illustrations will be exhibited alongside a limited edition hand coloured book, that includes a 4 CD set of the illustrated songs.

We have been making art and playing music in Sydney´s inner west for 25 years, publishing "The illustrated lyrics of Old Man Crow" is a celebration of those years together, dancing with the changes and contributing to the colour and movement of the local Newtown and Inner West music and art scene, says Mo Orkiszewski and Rod Morgan. It’s the beginning of the next chapter in Old Man Crow´s lifelong musical journey, as he sings in the last line of the last song in the book, next stop the end of the line."

The limited edition, hand coloured The Illustrated Lyrics of Old Man Crow and CD set was launched at the Exhibition was opening on Sunday 4th September by Peter Cox, Curator of Pop Culture, Powerhouse Museum. An Official event of the 2016 Sydney Fringe Festival.


In the true spirit of rock´n´roll, posters, cards, t-shirts & stage and costume accoutrements designed and made by Mo for Old Man Crow’s stage performances were on exhibition and the Crow T-shirts are still available on order from the gallery.

This is the Fifth Sydney Fringe Festival Exhibition at Artsite Contemporary Galleries.