Baron Wolman: The Rolling Stone Years photo exhibit

By Todd McFliker

Baron Wolman himself showed up at his Rolling Stone Years photo exhibit at Michael Joseph Artists’ Haven Gallery in Fort Lauderdale. On Friday night, the icon appeared at an intimate VIP reception for both collectors and voyeurs. The timeless work will be showcased through December 31st. Forty years ago, the man served as the magazine’s chief photographer in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. Dozens and dozens of original photograph portraits from his two-and-a-half-year stint at Rolling Stone in the late ‘60s were available for purchase. The awe inspiring personalities included the legendary Woodstock Festival, Dylan, Jimi, Janis, Morrison, Mick, Page, the Dead, The Who and even the mighty Zeppelin.

“This showcase was very creatively done and has virtually every copy of Rolling Stone which my photo appeared on the cover with the original print next to the photograph… Back in those days you could go right onstage, access was very easy. I was onstage the whole show and I was so in sync with these guys. In those days we used film, we would only get two to three good shots to each roll and with Jimi I got twenty to twenty five great shots. I knew that I was totally in sync with him.”

Pointing to a classic hanging on the wall, Wolman explained “This George (Harrison) photo was taken in London, we were doing an interview. He started reading Bob Dylan’s book (Don’t Look Back ) and I didn’t want to bother him. He is the only Beatle that I shot, it breaks my heart.”

Wolman continued keeping me in amazement. “I hung out at Janis Joplin’s house and lived around the corner from the Dead,” he said. “I got to take pictures of Page and Plant at the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame… I never met Van Morrison or Neil Young but got photos of them… At Woodstock, the highlight for me was seeing all those people. It was a disaster waiting to happen and nothing happened. Everyone got along. Fans were knocking over the fence, we did not have enough security to keep the people out, and so they made it a free concert. I stood in the center of the stage at Woodstock looking out at all the people and took the widest angle lenses that I had. And it still wasn’t big enough to get them all.”

As far as Wolman’s future is concerned, he’s no longer shooting. Rather, he’s working on a film. The theme of the picture is the culture’s celebrities over sixty and the fascinating tales behind their album covers. “I want to get the stories behind the pictures before the icons die.”

The owner of gallery, Michael Joseph himself, claims it was a pleasure being introduced to Wolon. “I am a rock enthusiast at heart and I’m very familiar with his work. We wanted to celebrate our one year anniversary with Mr. Wolman. The local art scene has been starving for something like this. You usually travel to LA or New York to see this type of art. We want to bring in quality art and give the best presentations we can to South Florida.

Michael Joseph Artists’ Haven Gallery has been offering modern and contemporary works of established and emerging artists’ paintings, photos, sculptures and prints for one year. Check ‘em out on Oakland Park Blvd, just east of US-1, or at www.artistshavengallery.com.