Molly Prior

Art has always had an important place in the culture of Worcester and this fall is no exception with a lot to look forward to in the upcoming few months. From November 16, 2019, to February 16, 2020, the famous traveling exhibit Photo Revolution: Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman will be on display at Worcester’s own famous Worcester Art Museum. While most people think of art traditionally as paintings and sculptures, this exhibit will display the impact of the artistic photography movement of the 1960’s. It will highlight the work of famous artists such as Andy Warhol and Tom Wessleman.

Andy Warhol is one of the most well remembered and respected artists of the twentieth century. He has frequently had exhibits all over the world, more recently at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, he became a pivotal figure in the Pop Art movement and the Photo Revolution. He was one of the first artists to use photography as art. Warhol took thousands of photos throughout his career and popularized the use of the Polaroid camera. His famous Red Book Series of photographs is also a part of the exhibit.

According to the Worcester Art Museum website, the show “strives to demonstrate the relationship between the foundation of photography and contemporary art.” Therefore, the exhibit will feature all kinds of art; including paintings, prints, sculptures and videos. It will also include a series of “everyday photos” from everyday situations that captivate how we understand reality and media today. These photos have been collected over the years and are typically lost or rediscovered works from unknown artists or everyday people. The exhibit will additionally feature the works of local artists from the Worcester area such as John O’Reilley, Peter Campus, Chris Burden and more. This will give local artists the chance to showcase their work and an opportunity for the public to see what’s up and coming in the Worcester art scene.

The 1960’s were a time of social and political change. Both the civil rights and women’s rights movements were in full swing and taking a forefront in society. The exhibit strives to showcase not only the artistic changes, but these social and political changes. Warhol strived to capture these moments in history as the times moved forward, as well as inspiring other politically active artists such as Leon Golub and Cindy Sherman herself. Photography art played an essential and important role in the changing of the media landscape, when the media was moving to more visual forms such as film and television.

“Many of the most visually striking and politically or emotionally engaging moments of the 20th century—from the assassination of President Kennedy, to the Vietnam war, to the moon landing—occurred during a period of transition from the dominance of the still photographic image to the increasing prevalence of film and video,” said the exhibition’s curator Nancy Kathryn Burns. “The growth of photography as a consumer medium began to carry over into and influence the artists of the time, pushing photography from being the province of a select few artists to the dominant form capable of delivering the real—or seemingly real—images that both artists and consumers now desired.”

On Friday, November 15, the museum will host an opening party that will go from 7-11 pm. The event will feature a DJ, cash bar and guest speakers. The exhibit will be presented with support from the Lunar Foundation, and will have sponorships by Fallon Health and Skinner Auctioneers and Appraisers. You can see the exhibit during the museum’s regular hours, Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult tickets are $18, and there are discounts for students and seniors. It is a family friendly exhibit that includes aspects of art, history and culture. You definitely won’t want to miss this extraordinary artistic exhibit this season.