Destroy by Rankin : artists destroy their Rankin portraits in a donation to Youth Music, exhibition of the project in London and the accompanying book published by Gestalten Verlag

Youth Music is celebrating its 10th Birthday - and to mark the occasion, they have teamed up with star photographer Rankin to ask 70 musicians and visual artists to personally destroy their own portraits taken by the photographer, to create their own personal pieces of art.

Participating artists include Joe Strummer, Ian Brown, Marianne Faithfull, Andre 3000, Michael Stipe and Kylie Minogue, as well as bands such as Pete and the Pirates, The Enemy and The View.

Most of the portraits were in fact personally destroyed by the creative participants.

For example Florence Welch who has drawn over her portrait, inspired by her school days, when she used to re-style photos in magazines.

Debbie Harry on the other hand burnt, painted and stitched-up her picture, ultimately creating a series of six ‘destroyed’ portraits. 

For Joe Strummer though, Damien Hirst himself was challenged to join in. The organisers wanted Damien to reflect his feelings on the late musician.

“I tried to keep it about him as a person. I kept looking at the thing on the hand, where it said ‘Joe’. Joe Strummer was a great guy who I met, who was much more of a hero in real life. You don’t meet many people like that,” explains Damien.

For those that aren’t in the know : Joe was a founding member, singer of and guitarist in legendary British punk band The Clash. He died of a sudden heart attack in 2001. 

In 2006 British director Julien Temple, father of the young and promising actress Juno Temple, realised a documentary on Joe Strummer titled "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten".

Youth Music and Rankin's Destroy project have taken over Phillips De Pury in London for an exhibition. 20 of the 'Destroy' portraits are currently on show in large format to the public – naturally including Damien Hirst’s contribution.

The motifs will be up for auction on November 14, hosted by Rankin and Simon De Pury, with an added treat of a performance by Jarvis Cocker. Jarvis is a veritable British pop star and has achieved legendary status both on and off the island’s shores in his role as front man of Pulp.

In addition to the auction and exhibition, there is of course a publication that accompanies the whole spectacle. The hardback book is a 1,000 limited edition, edited by Dazed & Confused editor Rod Stanley and is directly available from Youth Music.

It includes an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ DVD featuring interviews with none other than Rankin, as well as the 25 selected artists.

Furthermore, the book includes essays by Rankin and Fred Deakin (Lemon Jelly / Airside), as well as additional interviews with Jarvis Cocker & Peter Saville, Jefferson Hack & Michael Stipe, Beth Ditto & Miranda Sawyer, and Mike Figgis & Marianne Faithfull.

Youth Music is the largest children’s charity in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1999, the organisation has already helped over 2 million children and young adults. Find out more on Youth Music Week and the exciting before / after motifs on the website of the charity event.


Destroy by Rankin
Exhibition open until 21 November 2009, at Phillips de Pury, 9 Howick Place, London SW1P 1BB
Auction: 14 November 2009.
Book available to buy online (1st 20 copies are of course signed by Rankin)


Destroy / Rankin
die Gestalten Verlag
Editor: Rankin, Youth Music
Pages: 172, Format: 25 x 32 cm
Details: full colour, hardback inc. DVD
Price: 44,00 / CHF 76,00 / $ 69,00 / £ 40,00
ISBN: 978-3-89955-280-5


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