Mr. David Lucatch of Liquid Avatar reports
MAY PANG GALLERY LAUNCHES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OASIS DIGITAL STUDIOS AND MCCARTNEY MULTIMEDIA FEATURING ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS FROM KEN DAVIDOFF AS NFTS
Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc., together with ImagineAR Inc., have noted that Oasis Digital Studios, together with McCartney Multimedia Inc. and renowned photographer and artist May Pang, is launching the May Pang Gallery. The Gallery will feature an exciting array of photographic and visual artists and their works as Non-Fungible Token (NFT) to collectors through Oasis Digital Studios. The May Pang Gallery's first NFT collection will feature legendary photographer Ken Davidoff.
Capitalizing on the response to her recently announced John Lennon's "Lost Weekend" photographs, May Pang and McCartney Multimedia are working with a number of iconic artists and photographers to create an NFT gallery for the sale of visual art in the music and entertainment space. In the coming weeks and months, May Pang and Oasis will partner with some of the music industry and Hollywood's most notable photographers and artists, starting with Ken Davidoff, to bring their work, including never released images, to the NFT market. A pre-sale list has been established at www.oasisdigitalstudios.com
Ken Davidoff has spent his whole life, since the early age of 4, immersed in art and by the time he was 8, he was a budding photographer. In 1966, at age 17 Ken was working part time as a professional photographer at his parent's studio, the Davidoff Studio in Palm Beach, Florida. By 19, Ken got the opportunity to photograph The Miami Pop Festival with Jimi Hendrix. With this amazing opportunity under his belt, Ken was able to secure the position of official Photographer of the 1969 First Annual Music and Arts Festival of Palm Beach (The Palm Beach Pop Festival), a 3 Day Festival dubbed Woodstock South which closed with a performance by the Rolling Stones.
"Ken Davidoff's photographs capture a moment in time that shaped the "baby boomer" generation. In partnership with Oasis, I am happy to feature his work at the May Pang Gallery," commented May Pang, Curator - May Pang Gallery
Shooting legends like Elvis, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys, 38 Special, B.B. King, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Chapin, Rush, Loggins and Messina, Bob Segar, Johnny Winder and other iconic individuals and groups, Ken's photographs portray historic images of the genesis of Rock n' Roll.
Ken's 55+ year professional career has focused on the art of the image, creating iconic stories behind the music and the photos. Some of his never-seen-before photographs will be available through the May Pang Gallery and Oasis Digital Studios as NFTs featuring, in Ken's own words, the stories behind the images.
"Working with my old family friend May Pang has brought extra Joy to my daily routine of gathering and helping curate iconic rock ‘n' roll images, as the family grows to now bring classic rock photographer Ken Davidoff into the world of NFTs, and under the wing of the May Pang Gallery. Who knew a day job could be this much fun?" said Ruth McCartney, Digital Diva, and founder of McCartney Multimedia.
ABOUT KEN DAVIDOFF
Ken Davidoff has been a professional photographer since 1966 working in his Father's photography studio in Palm Beach. His Dad was the Family photographer for JFK. Rose Kennedy would call his home and tell him where the President was, as he loved to elude the Secret Service. The story is that the Secret Service put a "tail" on Ken's Father so they would know where JFK was. In May of 1968 he photographed The Miami Pop Festival, the 1st East Coast Rock Festival, featuring Jimi Hendrix and The Experience. Over the course of 50 years Ken has photographed many other Rock Legends such as Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Elvis, and Bob Dylan. He also photographed many celebrities such as Dustin Hoffman, Bob Hope, George Burns, Raquel Welch, and Betty Davis plus many more. Politicians include 7 Presidents, 2 Queens and 1 King and Prince Charles and Lady Diana, Historical events such as the Launch of Apollo 11, and the 1972 Democratic and Republican Conventions, many Baseball Hall of Famers are also in Ken's archive.
In 2008, along with Jack Connell, he started his company, Old Rock Photos.com , an archive of his rock photography on the web; since then he has licensed many of his photos in books, magazines, documentary films, record albums, for clothing, and online publications. In 2009 Michael Lang licensed four of Ken's photos for his book "The Road to Woodstock". Early in 2013 he entered the Palm Beach International Film Festival with a short documentary film based on his photographs taken at the 1969 Palm Beach Pop Festival. Ken also has 17 photographs in his father's book, "The Kennedy Family Album" a collection of Kennedy photos taken by Bob Davidoff.
In November of 2013 Sony Records released the double vinyl limited edition album/CD, plus a single also featuring Ken's photos of Jimi Hendrix live at the Miami Pop Festival. This album featured Ken's photography on the front and back covers, the inside of the album and an additional booklet of 20 more of Ken's photos. On the same day NPR released "American Masters" Jimi Hendrix, which included one of Ken's images used with credit at the end of the broadcast. In March of 2015 Ken became affiliated with the Jimi Hendrix Foundation and CEO, Joe Rosignolo. Joe was kind enough to write the Forward to Ken's book, giving it full endorsement by the Jimi Hendrix Foundation, "The Miami Pop Festival", a Photographic Experience" was published In December of 2015. This book is the definitive history of the 1st East Coast Rock Festival, headlined by The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Promoted by Ric O'Barry and Michael Lang, Michael said of the Miami Pop Festival "This is where the seeds of Woodstock were sown."
Ken also had a photo exhibit at The Palm Beach County Historical Society Gallery about his images from The 1969 Palm Beach Pop Festival, featuring The Rolling Stones. He was the Official photographer for that '69 Rock festival.
On May 18th 2018, at The History Miami Museum there was a Grand Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the May 18th, 1968, Miami Pop Festival. Close to 1000 people were at the opening where the crowd was entertained for about 45 minutes by Jim Hendrix's brother Leon. Over 50 of Ken's images were used to explore the history of Rock's first East Coast festival. Jimi Hendrix was the headliner along with, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Blue Cheer, Arthur Brown, Frank Zappa, and the Mothers of Invention, Blues Image, and Tiger Tiger. This was a major event to celebrate one of Rock's most important festivals.
Soon after, the History Miami Museum show Ken expanded his business ventures and started a new company called VintageRockIcons.com with his longtime friend of over 20 years, Melinda McGilivray. In addition, they have also started a 501c3 nonprofit, The South Florida Rock & Roll Museum Inc. In the future Ken hopes to tour and speak about his life in photography, encouraging the youth of today to express themselves by creating new images in their own way, showing his work to new audiences, and speaking about his career in photography and the people he has met on his journey. The purpose of The South Florida Rock & Roll Museum is to share the history of rock that Ken has captured through his camera lens, and to support and contribute to the local arts scene. The museum would make the public aware of the history of Rock & Roll that South Florida has. Although The South Florida Rock & Roll Museum will initially start with Kens archive it will expand to include other photographers as time and funding allow.
ABOUT NFTs
A Non-Fungible Token, or NFT is a digital asset that represents a wide range of tangible and intangible assets like digital and conventional artwork, collectibles, memorabilia, and other items. However, unlike typical NFTs which are generally digital video or images that represent "moments in time" like an NBA Top Shot or piece of artwork, Oasis will be creating and deploying embedded AR "triggers" in each Oasis supported NFT, and to support and introduce NFT programs, brands, and participants. This will allow users to engage in enabled immersive and "living" shareable experiences through the Liquid Avatar Mobile App and AR enabled websites.
About ImagineAR - www.imaginear.com
ImagineAR Inc. (CSE: IP) (OTC: IPNFF) is an augmented reality (AR) platform, ImagineAR.com, that enables businesses of any size to create and implement their own AR campaigns with no programming or technology experience. Every organization, from professional sports franchises to small retailers, can develop interactive AR campaigns that blend the real and digital worlds. Customers simply point their mobile device at logos, signs, buildings, (products, landmarks and more to instantly engage videos, information, advertisements, coupons,3D holograms and any interactive content all hosted in the cloud and managed using a menu-driven portal. Integrated real-time analytics means that all customer interaction is tracked and measured in real-time. The AR Enterprise platform supports both IOS and Android mobile devices and upcoming wearable technologies. The AR Platform is available as an SDK Plug-in for existing mobile apps.
About Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc.
Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary KABN Systems North America Inc. focuses on the verification, management and monetization of Self Sovereign Identity, empowering users to control and benefit from the use of their online identity.
The Liquid Avatar Mobile App, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play is a verified Self Sovereign Identity platform that empowers users to create high quality digital icons representing their online personas. These icons allow users to manage and control their digital identity and Verifiable Access and Identity Credentials, and to use Liquid Avatars to share public and permission based private data when they want and with whom they want. www.liquidavatar.com
KABN North America has a suite of revenue generating programs that support the Liquid Avatar program, including KABN KASH a cash back and reward program that has over 400 leading online merchants and coming soon, an integrated offering engine. In Canada, KABN also has the KABN Visa Card, a "challenger banking" platform that allows users to manage and control a range of financial services for traditional and digital currencies. The Company is currently exploring expansion of the KABN Visa program to other geographic regions, including the USA.
Oasis Digital Studios is a creative and development agency that supports a wide range of artists, talent, brands, and enterprises with Non-Fungible Token (NFT) solutions.