SLIDESHOW: Butler Art Institute to host exhibit featuring art by John, Speck Mellencamp

The Butler Institute of American Art will be hosting an art exhibit featuring art from rock singer John Mellencamp and his son, Speck Mellencamp.

The exhibit will run from May 7 until June 2 and will consist of 19 paintings with 10 from John and nine from Speck. 

"What is clear about the art of John Mellencamp is that his works extends the rich tradition of American expressionistic art that harks back to the painterly canvases of Robert Henri and the so-called early Modernists that flourished in the early part of the twenties century," said museum Executive Director, Lou Zona.

"Speck Mellencamp's paintings pay tribute to the intensity of German Expressionist figurative works. The grouping of figures appears to step out of the darkness, a chiaroscuro effect that is at once heavily dramatic and sculptural," Zona continued.

John Mellencamp's art book, "John Mellencamp: American Paintings and Assemblages was released in November of 2022, featuring 170 original works, essays from David L Shirley and Bob Guccione Jr. and a forward written by Zona himself.

The book features self portraits made over the years, as well as portraits of well-known figures such as actor Marlon Brando, singer Johnny Cash, actress Meg Ryan and a variety of everyday people.

Speck was inspired by his father's paintings and attended the Rhode Island School of Design and studied in Greece. He even worked at the Butler several years ago. He's now the Executive Director of the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts.

Both Speck and his father have collaborated in the past.

A sneak peek of art from both John and Speck Mellencamp can be found in the slideshow above.