Bruno David is pleased to present Show of hands, an exhibition by New York-based photographer/musician and St. Louis native Jacob Blickenstaff. This is the artist’s first exhibition with the gallery. In conjunction with the exhibition, Bruno David Gallery will publish a catalogue of the artist’s work featuring an in-depth exhibition history and bibliography.

“Show of hands offers a new perspective on the emotional, spiritual and physiological transmission of music through the hands of remarkable musicians. The emphasis in most contemporary music photography is often on full-body, “peak moment” gestures and the effortful contortions that speak more to fandom than understanding of the music.Buton closer inspection, hands are just as active, if not more-so, in the transmission of music from the creative inner-soul into the instrument and through to the listener.

The miraculous dexterity and fine-tuned athleticism involved with playing a guitar, bass, piano—or even a vocalist using their hands to make subtle changes in the position of a microphone or to gesture to the audience—shape our connection to the artist and their music. Hands can also express compassion, excitement, and an effort of an artist to give themselves to the audience. By focusing on the hands, I’ve discovered that every artist has unique gestures and mannerisms that provide subtle clues to their inner-identity. With Show of Hands, I hope to reorient our connection to music and to the artist. The hands that appear in this show are all connected to gifted and influential musicians including Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Blake Mills, Pino Palladino and Daniel Lanois among others.”