From the first time I heard Prince, ‘For You’ in 1979 I was a fan. I loved his style, loved his music. Went to concerts at First Avenue, the Carlton Celebrity Room, Minnesota Black Music Awards, etc. with the last at the Dakota. As a graduate from the U of MN 1979 in Studio Arts, I enjoy making images, moving and still, so naturally I wanted to document everything Prince, from the murals around town, to the Minneapolis City Hall tower bells ringing Prince music in the rain, to local musicians playing Prince tributes. I was fortunate to make it inside First Avenue the night of his death when thousands of fans tried to gain entry to the all-night dance party, the ultimate farewell to our hometown hero. His music lives on.
MOURNING, Photographic print. April 21, 2016
Inside First Avenue on the day Prince died…not all could celebrate.
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, Photographic print. April 21, 2016
Inside First Avenue the day Prince died.
PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE Photographic print. April 21, 2017
The Lowry Bridge on the Anniversary of Prince’s Death. Minneapolis turns on the purple.
Untitled, video, 3 minutes, silent. hand-held camera, April 21, 2016
Fans poured into downtown Minneapolis on the day Prince died. I was fortunate to get into First Avenue to document the electric celebration.
Untitled, video, 3 minutes. silent. hand-held camera, May 13, 2016
Memorial Fence at Paisley Park three weeks after Prince’s death to commiserate and document. It was a grey, windy and cold day. The deflated balloons symbolize mine and many people’s feelings.
Jbayliss is a maker of moving & still images and is based in Minneapolis.
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