In celebration of Blondie's 40th anniversary, New York's Chelsea Hotel Storefront Gallery has unveiled a retrospective art exhibition on the legendary punk band.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, "A Blondie Exhibition" features memorabilia and photos of the band by such acclaimed photographers as Robert Mapplethorpe, Annie Leibowitz, Bob Grossman, Bob Gruen and Blondie guitarist Chris Stein.
"The photos are like songs; they are movements in one larger piece, but they are more specific," Stein said. "I like the photographs of Blondie walking down the street; she's relaxed and herself. I started taking photos of Blondie when we first met. Then we moved into a bigger place and it got a little more normal and organized."
Among the memorabilia featured in the exhibit are concert tees, programs, backstage passes and vintage merchandise, but the focus of "A Blondie Exhibition" is Stein's photography of Blondie singer Debbie Harry.
"Music keeps me going — it's stimulating, it's important as an artist and as a musician to keep digging for it," Harry said of the exhibit. "I like a lot of these photographs; I don't really have a favorite. Chris is a great photographer. I'm looking forward to his next exhibit, which will be a different subject matter. I'm sick of looking at myself! Chris is definitely my favorite photographer to work with; he relaxes me."
"We have a mental connection, and it goes that way when we write music, too," Stein went on to say about his working relationship with Harry. "We still need one more hit. I take a lot of vitamins. It helps."
"A Blondie Exhibition" is open until Sept. 29. The exhibit is open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is free.
Blondie's most recent studio album, Ghosts of Download, was released in May. It is the band's 10th studio album overall and their first since 2011's Panic of Girls.
