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Untitled (#1), 2011 Signed, dated, titled and numbered Archival Pigment Print 62 1/2 x 79 inches Edition of 5 plus 1 artist’s proof Untitled (#2), 2011 Signed, dated, titled and numbered Archival Pigment Print 62 1/2 x 79 inches Edition of 5 plus 1 artist’s proof TRANSITIONS Award winning visual artist, photographer, director and cinematographer Samuel Bayer has built a career on translating his aesthetic vision into meaningful storytelling. After graduating from New York’s School of Visual Arts, he was tapped by Kurt Cobain to direct the now-iconic music video Smells Like Teen Spirit for Nirvana. Former MTV executive Amy Finnerty claimed the video changed the face of MTV by creating a “whole new generation of viewers.” The video is still regarded as one of the best and most influential videos of all time. In a career that has spanned over 20 years, Bayer has directed over 150 videos for artists including Blind Melon, The Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Strokes, Maroon 5 and many others. Commercially, Bayer continues to be one of the most significant and sought-after commercial directors of our time, having shot over 400 campaigns for clients such as Budweiser, Pepsi, Coca Cola, Reebok, adidas, Dodge, Ferrari, Audi and Porsche. Selections of both his commercial and music video work remain part of the MOMA’s permanent film and video collection. In 2013 Bayer exhibited his photography in a one-man show at Ace Gallery in Beverly Hills. The exhibit, entitled Diptychs & Triptychs consisted of sixteen 12 foot-tall, female nude triptychs as well as four, ten-foot tall diptych portraits. Refinery29 called it “The lovely and larger-than-life nude portraits you need to see.” Today, his second one-man show is titled “Transitions”, inspired from a vintage collection of butterflies he bought in Prague many years ago. This “Transitions” Series includes 20 large scale butterfly specimens, 5 of which are being exhibited here at STAHL + BAND. The remaining prints are available upon request.
