Alan Vega/Suicide – Artist/Musician/Performer

Alan Vega (1938-2016) was an artist whose interdisciplinary, revolutionary work has served as inspiration for many artists, performers and musicians. Today he is acknowledged for pioneering a multimedia approach to making art. Vega studied with noted artists and teachers, Burgoyne Diller and Ad Reinhardt, at Brooklyn College in New York. In the early 70’s he formed an art band called “Suicide” with Martin Rev. And they performed in New York clubs and galleries alongside The Talking Heads, Andy Warhol’s The Velvet Underground, and The Ramones, among others. Vega became world famous for his outrageous electro/punk music as well as for highly original, performance art-like appearances on stage. He left behind a huge international following. Suicide’s first album from 1977 was recently nominated to the list of 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. Through the years, Alan continued to make sculpture, music and performed until his death in 2016. Seen here are early videos taped at Max’s Kansas City and CBGB’s, and exhibitions at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in Downtown New York. Interviewed are his manager and wife Liz Lamere, art dealer Jeffrey Deitch, artist/writer Walter Robinson. And most importantly, Alan Vega talks at length about creativity, and his innovative approach to making art.