![](https://riverjournalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Unseen-Photographs_RAC_Gallery_REception-4-225x300.jpg)
The Rye Arts Center hosted a captivating evening during the reception for Unseen Photographs of Rock & Roll Legends, an extraordinary exhibition showcasing the rare and intimate moments captured by publicist, producer, manager, and photographer Michael Friedman. Documenting rock’s golden age from 1968 to 1973, the photographs revealed poignant portraits of icons such as Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, and The Band, leaving attendees nostalgic and inspired.
The event drew an impressive crowd, including local artists such as Meera Agarwal, The Rye Arts Center’s 2024 Visionary Artist recipient, and celebrated painter Lynn Mara. Public officials, including Assemblyman Steve Otis, were also in attendance, alongside renowned radio personality Dennis Elsas, whose presence added authenticity and reverence to the occasion.
The reception included refreshments and featured a memorable moment with Friedman and his wife, Donna Vita, who discovered the long-forgotten negatives in their attic. Enthusiastically engaging with attendees, Friedman shared the universal message of music’s power while recounting the story behind these lost treasures. “We were just kids, working hard and playing hard. If I knew then what I know now, and that these people in my life would become so historic, so iconic, I would have made many different choices — and one of them would have been to take my camera with me everywhere, every time,” Friedman shared. The gallery buzzed with animated conversation as more than 165 guests immersed themselves in the visual storytelling of rock’s heyday.
Friedman’s rediscovered photographs offered a fresh perspective on music history, inviting guests to relive a bygone era of creativity and rebellion. Reflecting on the evening, Adam Levi, Executive Director of The Rye Arts Center, remarked, “The incredible turnout tonight reflects the deep resonance of music and art in our lives.”
Unseen Photographs of Rock & Roll Legends runs through February 15, 2025, offering art and music enthusiasts the opportunity to experience these extraordinary images. Friedman’s photographs are also available for purchase, both as gallery prints and in his book EXPOSED, which features a collection of over 200 images.
For more details on this exhibition and upcoming programming, visit www.ryeartscenter.org or call (914) 967-0700.