A new nightclub is about to hit Memphis. Well, it’s more of a photography exhibition than a nightclub. “[‘Love in the Club’] is unlike any exhibit we’ve ever done,” explains Jeff Kollath, executive director of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. “We’re doing some aesthetic work in our gallery to make it feel like a Chicago nightclub.”
The exhibit contains 30 or so black-and-white photos by Michael Abramson. Between 1974 and 1977, Abramson, then a student at Chicago’s IIT Institute of Design, photographed the nightlife at Chicago’s legendary clubs. “He was white, and the patrons of the nightclubs were predominantly African-American,” Kollath says. “People were really excited to have their picture taken, but also he provided photos to them. … He documented the Black working class in Chicago in their best clothes on Friday, Saturday night with live music, dancing, DJs. It’s just a really great snapshot of a scene that’s not documented that much.
“The nightclub is an expression of oneself, an expression of individuality and style,” Kollath continues, “and you bring in the idea of love in the club and human relationships, whether it’s for one night or for a lifetime. Those are some of the most formative memories that not just folks in Chicago but any of us can have.”
Accompanying the photos in the exhibit are Patricia Smith’s poems. Smith is a Chicago native, who, having grown up not far from the clubs that Abramson photographed, published a collection of poems about her connection to the photos in her book Gotta Go Gotta Flow. “Her poetry is way better than any caption or cutlines that I could ever write,” Kollath adds.
At the opening reception for this exhibit, DJ Bizzle Bluebland will spin records, bringing the gallery/nightclub to life and encouraging guests to dance as the photos’ subjects once did. Food and beer by Soul & Spirits Brewery will be available.
“Love in the Club” will be on view through September 4th. To find out about other upcoming events at the Stax, visit the Stax’s website or socials.
“Love in the Club” Opening Reception, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, 926 E. McLemore, Friday, March 11, 6-8 p.m., free.