Unpopular draws on the never-before-seen archive of music promoter, record company founder and entrepreneur Stephen ‘Pav’ Pavlovic, taking audiences behind-the-scenes of the alternative music scene in the 1990s.

Unpopular comes from the idea that alternative music in the 1990s began as a movement that deliberately avoided the mainstream and anything popular. It became the dominant cultural movement of the 90s with artists that helped define the genre – Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Mudhoney, Nirvana, Bikini Kill, Fugazi, Pavement, The Lemonheads and more.

See more than 200 objects from Pav’s extensive collection, including footage of live performances, unheard music demos and live audio recordings, photographs, original graphic art, posters and fanzines. The exhibition also features Kurt Cobain’s Martin guitar plus new commissions by artist and film maker Julian Klincewicz and artist Lillian O’Neil.

Alongside the exhibition, the Powerhouse will present a series of programs including a music photography masterclass with Sophie Howarth, analogue art workshops led by designers Ben Brown and Paul Curtis, and a music documentary film program.