The Charles H. MacNider Museum is offering a free, “Rockin’ Art of the 50’s and 60’s” guided tour on Friday, February 2, 2024, in conjunction with the Surf Ballroom’s Winter Dance Party.  The Museum’s largest collection is of post – World War II art and features some of the most famous individuals from the mid-century art scene. The tour will be at 1:30 pm and is on a first come, first served basis.  Admission to the Museum and this special tour is free. 

While the 1950’s were marked by overall conservatism and conformity in an attempt to return to post-war normalcy, the art scene, much like the music scene, began to blossom with emerging artists.  The focus of the art world shifted from Paris, where it had been centered for centuries, to New York City.  This new American – centric vision of art was supported by art movements such as the development of Abstract Expressionism.  Artists like Jackson Pollack developed new painting techniques, for example – the splatter technique, that were a far reach from earlier traditional American artists such as Grant Wood and his traditional rolling hills.  The Museum holds a variety of work from these ground breaking artists including Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, Jim Dine, and Andy Warhol.