5 Albums That Accompany Marcel Dzama’s Art

To accompany his exhibition Dancing with the Moonlight at Pera Museum, Canadian artist Marcel Dzama shares five albums that have long sound-tracked his creative process. From post-punk echoes to folk-tinged introspection, each record offers a sonic window into the artist’s visual universe.

Public Image Ltd. – Metal Box (1979)

Dzama’s “all-time favorite album,” this post-punk masterpiece has long accompanied his artistic process, from his earliest video works in art school to more recent pieces. “It sounds like a soundtrack to the future,” he notes.

 

Neil Young – On the Beach (1974)
Melancholic, introspective, and sincere. Dzama admits this was playing while he created much of the artwork in his Pera exhibition, offering a quiet yet powerful undercurrent of emotion.

Nina Simone – To Love Somebody (1969)
With renditions of Dylan songs and a fiery performance of “Revolution,” this album is a call to action. Dzama describes it as inspirational and confrontational—art that stirs the soul.

Charlie Megira – Tomorrow’s Gone (2019)
A haunting album from a lost genius. Dzama ranks the title track among his all-time favorites and considers the whole record perfect for layering onto video or film.

Joakim Åhlund & Jockum Nordström – Dracula’s Son (2017)
A quirky, intimate selection by two Swedish artists. Dzama feels a kindred connection to Dracula—"we keep the same hours and both like bats"—and praises Nordström as a friend, guitarist, and brilliant visual artist.