----------------------------------------------------- SEPTEMBER 15, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: GIG Gallery, Sydney, Australia http://www.giggallery.com/ Now Showing -- Roger Dean Exhibition It's been 30 years since progressive rock band YES toured Australia. Now, due to unprecedented demand by their devoted fan club the band have been persuaded to return for 2 shows only in September this year. Robert Forbes, co-ordinator of the YES fan club in Australia says " the last gig is still remembered in awe by those fortunate enough to attend." Renowned as one of the most enduring rock bands of the 70's, the re-united line-up of vocalist Jon Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Alan White, and keyboard showman Rick Wakeman began their "Full Circle" tour last year. They were to perform in Australia in Feb 2003 but due to illness the tour dates were postponed until later this year. The shows are now being held on Friday 19th Sept. -Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Saturday 20th Sept. - Entertainment Centre, Sydney. To coincide with the YES tour, Roger Dean will be exhibiting original paintings and signed prints at GIG Gallery in Glebe, Sydney. He is also designing a commemorative t-shirt to celebrate the long-awaited return of the band. After becoming known for the unique album cover designs he created for bands such as Osibisa and Gun in the 1970's, Roger Dean was contracted to produce a cover for the YES album "Close to the Edge". Since then his work has become synonymous with the band, producing YES's classic logo and several of their record covers. Last year, Rolling Stone magazine named YES's "Tales from Topographic Oceans" as the best album cover ever! Roger Dean has said that the YES songs gave him "a chance to start telling a story in pictures… building a world that the YES music co-existed with very well." He says he made images around the words, not the music. Dean describes his mystical landscapes, which are often the basis of the album covers, as a spiritual experience. "It's about a path", he says. His distinctive style has also enabled him to develop a successful career as a painter. Rick Wakeman, of YES describes Dean as "a landscape artist and philosopher." The Roger Dean exhibition will be held at GIG Gallery, 70A Glebe Point Road, Glebe, from the 16th September until the 12th October 2003. There will be 2 original paintings and various signed prints, many of which are re-worked from the original album cover designs. According to Robert Forbes, (proud owner of several Roger Dean prints), the current series of prints have a lot more detail than the originals. In conjunction with the Roger Dean exhibition, highly acclaimed glass artist Marc Grunseit will be exhibiting his autonomous kiln fired glass pieces. Marc has exhibited extensively throughout the world. He says his designs are "eclectic, and employed to interpret the natural, social, cultural and mythological Australian environment." Marc is very sympathetic to Roger Dean's approach to landscape, and says the opportunity to participate in a joint show with an artist who has been influential on his own work is "this exhibition is a high point in my career". - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GIG Gallery is situated at 70A Glebe Point Road, Glebe, next to the Glass Artists' Gallery. Side-by-side these two galleries offer a unique venue in this busy inner-city suburb of Sydney. Each gallery complements the other ie. glass in the Glass Artists' Gallery and GIG exhibiting all other media. GIG Gallery has only recently opened and is a hire gallery, with bookings filling for 2004. A two-week block is recommended for exhibitions. For more information contact us on: (02) 9660 2785. 70A Glebe Point Road, GLEBE, SYDNEY, 2037, NSW AUSTRALIA Email: giggallery@bigpond.com ACTUAL IMAGES OF WORKS WHICH IN THIS EXHIBITION ARE SHOWN AT THE URL ABOVE. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com