The Unique Artifacts Series: Patti Smith Cult-Hero Doll, c. 1977
Within the illustrious walls of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we proclaim the power of influence in the world of music. Beyond being an imperative part of our criteria for induction, it serves as an unquantifiable measure of prestige and passion for the genres that we all hold so dearly. No one embodies that passion like Patti Smith. Hailed as a figure of irrefutable influence in rock-poetry fusion, she shrieked and howled literate yet street-savvy lyrics, unflinchingly confronting topics ranging from religion to the Beat movement. Her status as the high priestess of punk-poetry garnered a cult following in the punk genre, and through her unmistakable androgynous style and her powerful stage presence, she inspired an entire generation of young women to be fearless and independent.
Patti Smith is idolized among the formidable female powers of rock; so much so that her fans would send her strange, borderline disturbing handmade artifacts, such as this Patti Smith Cult-Hero Doll. Made by an unnamed fan, it was delivered to the Patti Smith fan club and donated to the Rock Hall by her mother, Beverly. Aside from it being a little bizarre, it’s a testament to the obsessive punk following that Patti generated, and it’s a symbol of her status as a true “cult-hero”.
Come check it out and more in the London/NY/LA section of our Cities & Sounds Exhibit, located in the Ahmet Ertegun Main Exhibit Hall.
