Michael Stipe just debuted his new solo exhibition, "Infinity Mirror," at The Journal Gallery in Williamsburg. The exhibit, which stems from his recent art book, Volume 1, "further expands on his use of photo-based practices to explore the 1970s as a formative decade through its cultural impact on his coming of age, and subsequently, the manner in which its influence informed the creative work he went on to create, both privately and as a public figure."

Among the pieces are Individual shelving units dedicated to artists and writers of influence including Bowie, Warhol, Patti Smith, and Jeremy Ayers (Stipe’s mentor and self-described first love). A number of Stipe’s friends and contemporaries, including River Phoenix and Kurt Cobain, are the subject of photographs in the exhibition, and of special interest to R.E.M. fans is a floor-to-ceiling wallpaper of an outtake of Stipe's photoshoot for the Murmur album cover (which featured the South's most infamous vegetation, kudzu). You can read more about the exhibition here.

Stipe was on hand for the opening on Tuesday (7/3), greeting friends and signing copies of Volume 1. You can check out pictures from the opening in the gallery above and "Infinity Mirror" runs through August 12 and The Journal Gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 6 PM.

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photos by Toby Tenenbaum