Published
Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 18:00
- The event, happening next week, will display NFTs minted from Bill Bernstein's images and flyers from New York parties in the '70s and '80s.
Veteran nightlife photographer Bill Bernstein is holding his debut NFT exhibition next week.
On Tuesday, November 2nd, at New York's Elm Foundation, a few never-before-seen images of New York nightlife in the '70s and '80s will be auctioned live in the form of NFTs. The in-person event, kicking off at 9 PM, showcases NFTs minted from Bernstein's photos, flyers, contact sheets and slideshows. Studio 54, Paradise Garage, house music icon Larry Levan and Empire Roller Disco are the main subjects, with a focus on the fashion and dancers of that period. NFTs by creative studio brawhaus will also be on tap.
These works will be displayed on Tuesday via digital frames and projectors. Each has a QR code that buyers can use to place bids on online marketplace Super Rare Labs using Ethereum. All proceeds from sales go to Lens On Life Project, a New York-based charity providing photography and computer literacy training for at-risk youth.
Following the auction, there will be an afterparty featuring DJs who are actively involved in the crypto space, including event organiser Will Benrubi (AKA Willy Soul), creative director at Studio 54's official record label, Studio 54 Music.
This will be Bernstein's second NFT auction via Super Rare. The first round, some of which will be available at Tuesday’s exhibition, was part of a project that included 8-bit pixel art videos of Studio 54 featuring music by Jitwam.
In addition to capturing subcultures and parties, Bernstein has spent 15 years touring with Paul McCartney, serving as the latter's personal photographer. He's also shot the likes of Prince, Ravi Coltrane and Philip Glass, among others. Bernstein's upcoming book, Last Dance, highlights New York club culture during 1977 to 1981, featuring words from Honey Dijon and Simon Dunmore.