For decades, the world has known Jack White as a defining force in rock music—the raw, red-and-white-clad guitarist of The White Stripes, the prolific founder of Third Man Records, a multiple Grammy winner whose blistering riffs and primal howls have filled stadiums. Yet behind the persona of the modern rock icon has resided another, far more private artist: a man with a passion for carpentry, assemblage, and sculpture. Now, in a move he describes as a decades-long hesitation finally overcome, White is pulling back the curtain on this deeply personal facet of his creativity. An exhibition titled These Thoughts May Disappear at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery in London showcases a collection of visual art that has literally been gathering dust in his garage and attic for up to thirty years. For White, this is not merely a new venture but a vulnerable act of sharing a part of himself that existed long before megastardom, challenging the public’s perception of what a rock musician can or should be.
The seeds of this artistic expression were sown long before the first chords of “Fell in Love with a Girl” echoed through the airwaves. In 1996, a young Jack White opened Third Man Upholstery in Detroit, honing the meticulous skills of a craftsman. This period ingrained in him a profound respect for materials, construction, and the beauty of functional design. The influence of that era is palpable in the works now on display. He terms his creations “Hardware Store Art,” a synthesis of assemblage and re-appropriation that draws from a welter of found objects and raw materials. These sculptures and constructions are less about traditional painting or drawing and more about the physical act of building—carving, joining, and re-contextualizing everyday items into thought-provoking pieces that exist at the intersection of folk art, Dadaism, and mid-century modernism.
Despite his global fame and confidence on a musical stage, White openly admits to feeling nerves about this public exhibition. He articulates a familiar creative trap: “Whatever you’re known for first in the mainstream is kind of a curse, in a way, because everyone wants you to just do that for the rest of your life.” This pressure to remain in a single, successful lane made him reluctant for years to share this other body of work, fearing it would be dismissed as a celebrity vanity project rather than engaged with as serious art. His nervousness underscores a genuine reverence for this craft; it is not a hobby, but a fundamental outlet that has run parallel to his music career. Seeing these pieces, once tripped over in his garage, now elevated on pedestals under beautiful gallery lighting, has been a revelation even for him, inspiring a new perspective on his own practice.
The aesthetic of the work possesses a distinct, graphic pop-art sensibility, which makes its home at Damien Hirst’s gallery a fitting one. White’s studio notes that throughout his career, he has collaborated with visual artists to examine the commercialisation of art, and his inspirations are thoughtfully eclectic. They range from the geometric purity and primary colors of the De Stijl movement to the anarchic, anti-establishment spirit of Dada, all filtered through the lens of the urban environment and classic furniture design. The results are vibrant, tactile, and often playful, yet underpinned by a serious conceptual framework. They speak to a mind constantly deconstructing and reassembling not just objects, but ideas about authenticity, value, and the boundaries between high art and everyday craftsmanship.
The exhibition offers a poignant glimpse into the private world of a public figure. Each sculpture or construction is a frozen thought—some three decades old—that might have otherwise disappeared, hence the show’s evocative title. For visitors, it’s an opportunity to trace the lineage of White’s creativity back to its roots, to see the through-line from an upholsterer’s workshop to the recording studio. It reveals an artist for whom creativity is not a monolith but a multidimensional impulse, expressing itself equally through sound, wood, metal, and paint. The show democratically places the rock star’s sculptures alongside the works of full-time visual artists, asking to be judged on their own merits.
These Thoughts May Disappear runs at the Newport Street Gallery until September 13, 2026. In the end, this exhibition is more than a display of art; it is an act of personal integration. Jack White is not pivoting away from music but is instead inviting us into a fuller understanding of his artistic universe. By bringing these long-hidden pieces into the light, he challenges the simplistic labels often applied to creative people and celebrates the beauty of a lifelong, multifaceted artistic journey. It is a reminder that the most compelling artists are often those who listen to all their callings, whether they lead to a roaring amplifier or a quiet garage workshop.
