‘An American Beauty: Grateful Dead 1965–1995 is a photography exhibition on view at David Kordansky Gallery (@davidkordanskygallery ) in Los Angeles through August 16, 2025, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Curated by renowned rock photographer Jay Blakesberg (@jayblakesberg ) and his daughter Ricki Blakesberg (@lil_Rix ), the show presents a sweeping visual history of the band and its surrounding community through 60 photographs.
The exhibition features works by Jay and other iconic photographers who documented the Dead’s evolution, from the psychedelic Haight-Ashbury days to their stadium-filling fame. It captures not only intimate moments with the band but also the vibrant energy of Deadhead audiences, offering a powerful lens into decades of countercultural creativity, communal spirit, and American cultural transformation. The show is deeply personal for both curators, reflecting their multigenerational connection to the music and its lasting cultural legacy.
Cover Image: Ron Rakow, Grateful Dead in New York, NY, 1967 / 2025
#GratefulDead
#art
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so fun chatting with @sunday.scaries on all things dead and more 🌹🌹 such an honor to help my dad in keeping this legacy alive. stay tuned, we got lots acommmmmmin!
#Repost @sunday.scaries
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By this point, you may know that I enjoy spending my Sundays listening to Grateful Dead. While I love their music, I love the history of the band just as much.
In a recent interview on The Sunday Scaries Podcast, I talked to @jayblakesberg and @lil_rix about photographing the Dead (among other bands), zines, jam culture, their archive of photos, Sphere, and so much more.
To listen, head to our YouTube channel and enjoy.
Photo Credit:
@jayblakesberg@retroblakesberg@retrophotoarchive@thealchemistress
@retroblakesberg up at the @grammymuseum !!! Never thought when i started this project in 2020 that I would see it flourish like this. Really thankful to the GRAMMY team and my pops for trusting me with this curation process. If yer in LA hit the exhibit now open through June 15th 🌀😵💫🌀
RetroBlakesberg presents Volume One, Issue 1: DEADHEADS ☠️🌹now available for pre-order!
DEADHEADS is an 80-page Zine presenting a fun look at some of Jay Blakesberg’s iconic photographs of Deadheads shot on film, blended with unique and precious Grateful Dead memorabilia. Beginning with images from his early dead-curious days in the late 1970s thru 1995, this collection of photographs and keepsakes is a fun look at the Grateful Dead’s cultural landscape as documented by Jay. The photos and ephemera featured are carefully curated by Jay’s daughter Ricki, who weaves a narrative linking the musical and cultural trends of yesteryear to those of today, and proving that the music indeed never stopped.
Stay tuned for more zines to come ❤️🔥
don’t usually take live music photography but was viiiibing when one of my best homies was opening for my favorite band 🤠🤠🤠 thx @karinarykman + @mymorningjacket 4 letting me plaaaay
