Woodstock to the Moon: 1969 Illustrated
June 8 through October 27, 2019
In celebration of Norman Rockwell Museum’s 50th Anniversary, we look back at the many ways illustrators portrayed news events and reflected popular culture in 1969. Norman Rockwell’s own work reflected the changing times with his iconic depiction of the moon landing, an album cover he painted for rock musicians, and a tribute to the final issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Following one of the darkest years in post-War America, in which Martin Luther King, Jr. was slain, a presidential hopeful was assassinated, the U.S. military faced setbacks in the war in Vietnam with the Tet Offensive and the My Lai Massacre, and college students led campus protests, the events of 1969 symbolized a time of hope and contrasts.
The year began when a new president was inaugurated, promising to bring troops home from Vietnam. A “small step for a man” on the moon was followed by a gathering of 400,000 concertgoers reveling in “three days of peace and music” at Woodstock. The exhibition will include the famous concert poster as well as other inventive and psychedelic art as depicted in album covers and posters of bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, and the Grateful Dead.
Arnold Skolnick, Concert poster for the Woodstock festival, August 1969. ‘WOODSTOCK’ and the Dove & Guitar Logo are registered trademarks of Woodstock Ventures LC and are used under license.
Children experienced illustration through animation in the revolutionary new children’s television series, Sesame Street, and in Saturday morning cartoons with a dog named Scooby-Doo. Eric Carle and William Steig produced their award-winning children’s books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, while Frank Frazetta, Jack Gaughan, Jeff Jones, and others gained fame painting popular science fiction book covers.
The magazine National Lampoon was founded, providing a satirical view of current events for a new generation of readers. Created by writers and comedians who would go on to create Saturday Night Live and classic films such as Animal House, Caddyshack, and Vacation, the magazine relied heavily on illustrations by Edward Gorey, Boris Vallejo, R.O. Blechman, Roz Chast, Gahan Wilson, Neal Adams, and others.
This exhibition will combine original illustrations with vintage archival material to transport you to a groovier era. An additional gallery will revisit the early days of Norman Rockwell Museum, from its humble beginnings when it opened its doors at The Corner House in Stockbridge in May 1969 through its expansion into a vital center which informs the public of Norman Rockwell’s life and career, while showcasing the rich history of American illustration.
Audrey and Ralph Friedner and TD Bank
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Artists include: Arnold Skolnick, Randy Tuten, D. Bread, Greg Irons, Eric Carle, William Steig, Frank Frazetta and Norman Rockwell among many others. More information forthcoming.
IMAGES
Greg Irons, Concert poster for Procol Harum at Fillmore West, April 3, 1969. Bill Graham Archives, © Wolfgangs, All Rights Reserved
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), The Final Impossibility: Man’s Tracks on the Moon 1969. Collection of the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. ©Norman Rockwell Family Agency. All rights reserved.
Portrait of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper, 1968. Norman Rockwell (b.1894, d.1978). Columbia Records: record album cover. Norman Rockwell Museum Collection. ©Columbia Records
Randy Tuten, Concert poster for The Byrds at Fillmore West, June 12, 1969. Bill Graham Archives, © Wolfgangs, All Rights Reserved
Neil Armstrong, Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. walks on the surface of the moon, July 20, 1969. Courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Seymour Chwast (b.1931) End Bad Breath, 1968 Woodcut (blue plate), offset printing Collection of the artist Seymour Chwast. © Seymour Chwast
Greg Irons, Concert poster for Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young at Winterland and Fillmore West, October 2, 1969. Bill Graham Archives, © Wolfgangs, All Rights Reserved
D. Bread and Randy Tuten, Concert poster for Janis Joplin at Winterland and Fillmore West, March 20, 1969. Bill Graham Archives, © Wolfgangs, All Rights Reserved
Neil Armstrong, Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. poses for a photograph beside the United States flag on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969. Courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
MEDIA
The Boston Globe July 10, 2019 Illustrating the year 1969, when rad met trad
Mass Appeal June 14, 2019 Norman Rockwell Museum: Private portrait sessions with President Nixon
Berkshire Eagle June 5, 2019 ‘Woodstock to the Moon: 1969 Illustrated’ marks ‘benchmark year’
PRESS RELEASE April 18, 2019 – Woodstock to the Moon: 1969 Illustrated Opens June 8, 2019
