It's not easy being a world-famous and incredibly wealthy rock star these days. Just ask Jack White.
The former frontman of The White Stripes and recent inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame unveiled his first exhibition «'These Thoughts May Disappear' at Damien Hirst's Newport Street Gallery.
The reaction was far from favorable. Sometimes it was brutal.
In a scathing review that rated his work one star, Jonathan Jones The Guardian compared his work to "a 12-year-old visiting the Tate Modern for the first time.".
This exhibition is not just a small performance.
The exhibition draws on White's legendary upholstery expertise and includes installations, furniture, and sculptures—some of them quite large. The luxurious hardback catalogue also features an interview with renowned curator Hans Ulrich Obrist.
It's only natural to wonder whether this work of art would have made it into a prestigious London gallery if the artist hadn't been, you know, Jack White.
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Yet not everyone shares the criticism. A search of Reddit forums and less caustic reviews reveals numerous praises for the exhibition's playfulness and DIY spirit—or assertions that White's creative curiosity should be encouraged.
Like it or not, White's exhibition has reignited a debate that arises whenever famous musicians venture into other fields: where does talent end and privilege begin?
Here we take a look at some of the most famous musicians who, like White, have made the transition to the visual arts – and how they've been received by professional critics.
Crossover Success: Patti Smith
Patti Smith performs at the Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth during the 2026 Venice Biennale – Vladimir Nikoluzos
Few musicians have been able to bridge these very different worlds as successfully as Patti Smith.
One of the most influential figures in rock 'n' roll, Smith spent decades building a parallel career as a photographer. Her work has been widely exhibited, including major solo shows at the Fondation Cartier in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
As in her music, memoir, and poetry, Smith's photography often explores memory, the influence of art, and places of personal significance. Her subjects range from the personal belongings of Arthur Rimbaud and Robert Mapplethorpe to landscapes and memorabilia collected during her travels.
At the 2024 Venice Biennale, Smith also took part in the design pavilion of the Holy See, presenting a series of readings dedicated to spirituality, nature and human relationships.
Rather than provoking questions about access to celebrity, as White did, Smith views her work as a natural extension of the ideas that permeate her music and creativity.
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Patti Smith has been announced as the 2026 Princess of Asturias Prize laureate for the Arts.
Subject of discussion: Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan paints, makes ironwork, and more — John Shearer / Halcyon Gallery«
Bob Dylan has achieved the kind of success most people can only dream of – and not just in music.
One of the greatest songwriters in modern history, Dylan has exhibited his paintings, drawings and iron sculptures for decades in major institutions around the world, including London's Halcyon Gallery, which hosted many of his solo exhibitions .
However, not everyone is convinced of its all-pervading greatness.
In 2011, Dylan was accused of having paintings in his Asian Series exhibition« too much They resembled the photographs that served as their inspiration. Furthermore, they lacked attribution, leading to accusations of plagiarism.
He later came under fire when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016, with critics raising a familiar question: would he have won the prize if he hadn't been Bob Dylan?
Nevertheless, his exhibitions continue to draw crowds, making him one of the few musicians whose visual art has become a topic of discussion in its own right.
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Ed Sheeran's original paintings will be auctioned off to raise funds for his foundation.
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Horror: Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran's 'Space Parking Lot' Films Under Fire — HENI
Ed Sheeran's artistic entrance The arena was greeted in a way that might have made Jack White feel relieved.
Last year, the British singer-songwriter unveiled a series of paintings inspired by Pollock, describing them as a way of creative expression between touring and recording albums.
Independent music critic Nigel Yip wrote that "Pictures of a Space Parking Lot" "wasn't as boring as I thought it would be"—one of the few compliments Sheeran received.
Jonathan Jones, also reviewing the exhibition for The Guardian, called the works "a clever fraud," arguing that Sheeran's fame had transformed amateur experiments into a gallery event. Others were more blunt, claiming that Sheeran had simply copied the work of Jackson Pollock.
On the other hand, the sale of his works subsequently allowed him to raise funds for grassroots musical organizations .
Perhaps White's critics would have been a little more forgiving if his exhibition had ended the same way.