An exhibition of multimedia artworks produced by a 1970s underground band featuring a Brimbank resident will be held in St Kilda this month.
Rock Granite and The Profiles is the name of both the show and the band, which emerged out of the heady days of art school in the early ’70s.
Photographic artist and Deer Park resident Jon Conte and other band members such as Les Arnott, Wayne Burt and Peter Ivor Wilson, are exhibiting some of their work in the show at Bright Space gallery in Martin Street from August 17 to 31.
“When we were asked, why don’t we have an art show, I said, ‘Great – wow we can finally make an exhibition of ourselves,” Conte said.
He said Rock Granite and The Profiles was a collective of 15 musicians and non-musicians. They didn’t seek fortune or fame, but shared a love of music and created their own art.
“We were considered corrupting and dissident characters of the world,” Conte said.
“We were different to the ‘normal’ persons in society.
“We questioned society. There were really bad attitudes towards those that questioned society back then.
“We had long hair and we used to listen to Canned Heat and all the old blues guys.
Conte said the collective was a kind of “rock and roll cabaret”.
“We played on the same bill as Daddy Cool, Chain, Phil Manning – all the bands that were legendary back then,” he said.
“I played violin and I played three notes; some of those songs we played required those three notes to be played.”
Rock Granite and The Profiles, Bright Space, 8 Martin Street, St Kilda, from August 17 to 31.
