The Massillon Museum’s Fred F. Silk Community Room Gallery will be filled with vintage record album covers in the new exhibition, On the Record, from August 31 through October 27, 2024. A free, public reception will be held on Saturday, October 19, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. 

 

On the Record will be a celebration of iconic vinyl album artwork from the collections of Massillon Public Library Vinyl Club members and friends. In addition to album covers, music lovers will be able to select and play a tune on a 1951 Seeburg 100B jukebox on loan from Phillip Elum will be displayed. 

 

Copies of new, unopened vinyl albums will be part of a silent auction at the exhibition reception on October 19. Funds raised will benefit the Massillon   Museum. 

 

Vinyl Club member and Massillon Museum volunteer, Mary Jane Corwin, organized this exhibition with the assistance of fellow club members, Danelle Drexler, adult programing specialist at the Library, and the staff of the Massillon Museum.

 

Massillon Public Library Vinyl Club, which is open free to teens and adults, meets in the main branch auditorium on the third Monday of every month. Two presenters at each session address topics such as bootlegs, genres, specific artists and bands, and the process of pressing vinyl records. Participants are encouraged to spin songs on the Library’s turntable and share their knowledge.

 

Mary Jane Corwin writes, "A vinyl album cover-timeless and memorable-can convey the essence of the artist’s music and make a connection with the audience. Eye-catching art can make an album more collectable and enhance the listening experience. Please come to view this eclectic collection of album covers and play a tune on the vintage jukebox." 

 

Corwin cited a quote from Noel Gallagher-singer, songwriter, and guitarist-as the essence of the On the Record exhibition: "What I love about vinyl is the artwork. Great photography and graphic design and great imagination. Vinyl is like the poor man's art collection."

 

To complement On the Record, Nick Diamant will speak at the Museum’s Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, August 27, about his 18-year-career at Camelot Music. That program, which begins at 12:10 pm., is free and open to everyone. No reservations are required.  

 

Exhibits in the Fred F. Silk Community Room Gallery reflect collaborations between the Massillon Museum and regional community partners.

 

Visitors can also view Gilding Northeast Ohio: Fashion and Fortune 1870–1900 (through October 13); Innovators of Massillon; the Immel Circus; the local history and fine and decorative arts galleries; Emily Bartolone: On Its Head (through September 8); Kimberly Chapman: Through the Looking Glass (September 21 through November 3); 90 Years of Community: The Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club; Brown’s Town: Art Inspired by Ohio’s Football Heritage; and Ethiopian Expedition of 1903. A 1916 Massillon-manufactured Russell steam engine is displayed in the garden. 

 

The Massillon Museum receives operating support from the Ohio Arts Council, ArtsinStark, and the citizens of Massillon. This exhibition is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.