The main gallery at the Lawrence Arts Center transformed into a unique record store with the opening of the “We Buy White Albums” exhibition. The brainchild of artist Rutherford Chang, this exhibit features only original pressings of The Beatles’ iconic White Album. Visitors can browse through the records and engage in an interactive musical experience.
“This exhibit originally debuted in New York City 10 years ago,” says Lawrence Arts Center Exhibition Program Director Ben Ahlvers. “This is the biggest display Chang has done to date with this project, which is ongoing. He keeps adding to it.”
The White Album, which debuted 55 years ago in 1968, featured a simple white cover with the band’s name and a unique serial number embossed into the cardboard of each one. It sold 3 million copies, and Chang has been collecting first-pressing covers for more than a decade. Each one was once enjoyed by a Beatles fan fortunate enough to own an original copy. Now, they serve as novel pieces of art, with some covered in their owner’s own drawings and others sporting coffee stains and mold. Chang, who has up to 3,325 records so far, wants to buy your original White Album in any condition.
“I heard about this project in The New York Times, and I thought it was a really clever idea,” Ahlvers says. “Lawrence is a very music-oriented town, so it fits in a way. This exhibition isn’t really about the band or The Beatles. It’s about the record cover, which was original at the time. The album covers are Chang’s medium.”
In addition to the art exhibition, the Lawrence Arts Center Mainstage will host a White Album tribute concert as part of the Downtown Underground Concert Series. Local musicians, including Performer Nick Carswell, will play music inspired by the White Album as part of the downtown Underground Concert Series on November 17th at 7:30 p.m. In-person tickets can be purchased online for $25 or livestream the performance for $12.
“We Buy White Albums” at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire Street, will run until December 16 at 9 p.m. For more information on the exhibition and concert, go to LawrenceArtCenter.org.
