Max's Kansas City | Steven Kasher

My apologies for posting about an exhibit after it's already closed, but I didn't realize that the Max's Kansas City show at Steven Kasher closed on October 16th.  Oops!!!  The exhibit featured over 150 photos of the legendary restaurant/bar and its colorful patrons, along with sculptures, drawing, and paintings by some of Max's regulars including John Chamberlain, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, and more.  The gallery even had a recreation of the venue's famous jukebox with a selection of hits from the time (Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Beatles, Elvis, The Doors, Otis Reading, The Jackson Five...).  Visitors were able to punch in their requests and listen to them as they strolled through the gallery.

Max's Kansas City is famous for being the watering hole of many artists, musicians, and assorted cool, young, beautiful people during the 1960s and 70s.  Andy Warhol regularly hung out in Max's back room under Dan Flavin's red light installation (which was recreated for the Kasher show) with his superstars du jour and often paid his tabs with artwork (Max's owner, Mickey Ruskin, was an art lover).  Upstairs, bands like The Velvet Underground, The Ramones, The New York Dolls, Blondie, Bob Marley, Talking Heads, Devo, and even Madonna performed.  The photos on view illustrate a vibrant, creative, exciting nightlife scene from a bygone era.  The original incarnation of Max's Kansas City closed in December 1974.  A new owner revived Max's in 1975, and the venue officially closed its Park Avenue South doors for good in 1981.

Another way to relive Max's heyday is by checking out Max's Kansas City: Art, Glamour, Rock and Roll, a book edited by Steven Kasher and published by Abrams featuring photos by Bob Gruen and Anton Perich and musings by Lou Reed, Danny Fields, and Lenny Kaye.  Learn more at Stevenkasher.com and see some of my favorite pics from the exhibit below. 

Recreation of Dan Flavin light sculpture (top); Elliott Landy, Andy Warhol and Janis Joplin, Max's Kansas City, New York City, 1968, (left); Anonymous, Velvet Underground Poster, 1966, (top right); Anonymous, Velvet Underground Poster, 1971, (bottom right)

Willem de Kooning, Untitled, (top); Anton Perich, Willem De Kooning at Max's Kansas City, 1971, (bottom)

Left to right:  Anton Perich, Robert Mapplethorpe at Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970; Anton Perich, Unidentified Woman with Snake at Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970; Anton Perich, Mick Jagger at Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970

Left to right:  Anton Perich, Candy Darling at Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970; Anton Perich, Candy Darling and Taylor Mead at Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970

Left to right:  Andy Warhol, Jackie II, 1966; Gretchen Berg, Paul Morrissey at Max's Kansas City, 1971

Anton Perich, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson at Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970

Frosty Myers, Lazers Daze, 1965

Bob Gruen, Patti Smith & Lenny Kaye at Max's Kansas City, 1974

Bob Gruen, Christmas Dinner at Max's Kansas City, 1975

Ebet Roberts, B-52's at Max's Kansas City, 1978, (top); Ebet Roberts, B-52's at Max's Kansas City, 1978 (bottom)

Nicky L, Debbie Harry, Blondie at Max's Kansas City, 1976, (top left); Nicky L, The Cramps at Max's Kansas City, 1977, (bottom left); Nicky L, Blondie at Max's Kansas City, 1976, (top right); Nicky L, Debbie Harry, Blondie at Max's Kansas City, 1976, (bottom right)

Nicky L, Johnny Ramone at Max's Kansas City, 1976, (top); Nicky L, The Ramones at Max's Kansas City, 1976, (bottom)

Comments

[Mattais Szava]

I have a few paintings that seem to have come from max's kansas city, but the question is should I have the spray paint removed now that I have found the source or is it to be kept as history.
The spray painter may have been Haring or Basquiat,
inthe late 70's early 80's, And I not asking why but who pissed on the back of the canvas.
This painting was sold with a Stella that I have as well, which is inside a plastic gold sprayed frame, very plastic.
One more question, I know the Gorky is listed as "unknown", who can put the 4 painting I have in order. The other 2 are drawings but Gorky, One of a Miro and the other has Klee signed on it , but I sure its by Gorky,..Help I want to preserve History

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33477748@N02/4370767751/in/set-72157624872753677/