SPRING 2016 TEACHER GUIDE OF THE REVOLUTIONApril 9 — July 31, 2016 EYE
also on view:
Walls and Beams, Rooms and Dreams: Images of Home Ongoing through July 31, 2016
Selections from the Permanent Collection April 30 — July 31, 2016 ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television April 9 — July 31, 2016
Revolution of the Eye examines the way avant-garde art shaped the look and content of American television in its formative years from the 1940s through the mid-1970s, and in turn how television introduced the public to the latest trends in art and design. Featuring more than 260 art objects, artifacts, and clips, the exhibition explores how artists fascinated with this brash new medium and its technological possibilities contributed to network programs and design campaigns; appeared on television to promote modern art; and explored, critiqued, or absorbed the new medium in their work. This dialogue between high art and television is revealed through a selection of fine art and graphic designs by artists such Saul Bass, Alexander Calder, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marcel Duchamp, Allan Kaprow, Roy Lichtenstein, Man Ray, Eero Saarinen, Ben Shahn, and Andy Warhol, as well as ephemera, television memorabilia, and clips from important television programs including Batman, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Ernie Kovacs Show, Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, and The Twilight Zone.
William Golden, Art Director, “The Sign of Good Television,” Fortune, December 1951 Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television is organized by the Jewish Museum, New York, and the Center for Art, Goldie Hawn in Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In; the Design, and Visual Culture, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). The exhibition is made possible by the Andy Warhol Foundation show ran from 1968–1973. Image provided by The Kobal Collection at Art Resource, New York for the Visual Arts, The Skirball Fund for American Jewish Life Exhibitions, the Stern Family Philanthropic Foundation, the National Endowment Salvador Dali on What’s My Line, CBS, January 27, for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and other generous donors. 1952; © Fremantle Media Generous support for the Addison’s presentation of this exhibition has been provided by the Sidney R. Knafel Fund. The Supremes, The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, mid- 1950s through 1971. Courtesy of The Ed Sullivan Show © SOFA Entertainment The exhibition is curated by Dr. Maurice Berger, Research Professor and Chief Curator, Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, UMBC, and curator, National Jewish Archive of Broadcasting, the Jewish Museum, New York. Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Kennedy I, 1966, screenprint on wove paper, 20 3/4 x 17 1/4 in., Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, museum purchase
PAGE 2 SPRING 2016 TEACHER EXHIBITION GUIDE Revolution of the Eye Addison Gallery of American Art Education Department “Early television was certainly limited by corporate interests and cultural and social restrictions and prejudices. But its initial roll- out in the 1940s and early 1950s in largely urban areas and its lack of longstanding conventions made the new medium particularly appealing to pioneers. ...[T]hey were searching for a place to rise above the status quo, or at least to expand its boundaries.
Television emerged as a dominant medium of communication in the United States in the period from the late 1940s through the early 1970s. Revolution of the Eye explores the ways modern art— the epitome of cultural experimentation and creativity—served as an influence and a model for shaping the new medium.”
- MAURICE BERGER, EXHIBITION CURATOR
Curriculum Connections Can Include • Rise of American television after WWII • American politics, popular culture, and artistic movements during the 1940s — 1970s • Science fiction as representation of social issues from nuclear fears to McCarthyism • Pop art, material objects, and consumer goods • Story development through visual storyboards or script writing • Conformity and individualism • Celebrity culture and fame • Societal issues represented through visual culture • The evolution of TV: the role of TV in the home, viewing habits, innovations, etc. • Symbolism in the media • Advertising and design
Related Events at the Addison Batman and Robin, 1966. Image provided by 20th Century Fox / The Kobal Collection at Art Resource, All programs are free and open to the public, unless noted. For a complete list of Public Programs, please New York visit addisongallery.org. Roy F. Lichtenstein, Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965, screenprint on paper, 37 5/8 x 27 5/8 in., Addison • April Vacation Drop-In Family Day | Thursday, April 21, 10:00 am — 1:00 pm Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, gift of Dr. Joseph Clive Enos III (Class • Lecture: Modern Art and the Rise of Network Television | Sunday, May 1, 1:00 pm of 1960), 2010.69, © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein Still from the opening credits of The Twilight Zone, Season 1, November 20, 1959. Image provided by CBS via Getty Images. Winky Dink and You game book, c. 1954
SPRING 2016 TEACHER EXHIBITION GUIDE Revolution of the Eye Addison Gallery of American Art Education Department PAGE 3 Class Visits to the Addison Admission is always free. Two classes (or up to 50 students) at a time can be scheduled between Tuesday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Guided visits generally run between 1 - 1.5 hours depending on student age Addison Gallery of American Art and class size and can also include time for student writing or sketching in the galleries. Phillips Academy, Andover, MA Education Department • The Addison supports a co-teaching philosophy where our education staff’s knowledge of the artworks combine with the teacher’s objectives and expectations for the visit, as well as incorporating students’ Rebecca Hayes knowledge and experiences. Curator of Education
• We will work with you to plan and co-facilitate a visit that will be inquiry-based and engages students Christine Jee in close looking and discussion. Teachers are welcome to stop by our office, call, or email to learn more Education Associate for School about our exhibitions and artworks and the ways in which they connect to your course topics. & Community Collaborations [email protected] • The Addison education staff collaborates with educators to create and support long-term projects 978-749-4198 inspired by exhibitions, collection themes, museum practice, or particular artists. Addison staff works with teachers to develop creative, cross-disciplinary projects that meet multiple social and academic Jamie Kaplowitz objectives. Manager of Curriculum Initiatives Connections to Curriculum Standards Due to the customized nature of each group visit and the activities surrounding each class, the standards addressed will vary. Class visits to the museum will always include actively viewing and discussing art and can also focus on reinforcing skills from subject areas such as reading, science, writing, social studies, or math. For more standards corresponding to specific projects, lessons, artworks, or exhibitions across disciplines, please contact Christine Jee ([email protected]) for more details.
Free Public Museum Hours Tuesday — Saturday: 10:00 am — 5:00 pm Sunday: 1:00 pm — 5:00 pm
Free Group Visit Hours by Appointment between Tuesday — Friday: 9:00 am — 5:00 pm
Teacher Resources, Workshops, & Exhibition Information www.addisongallery.org
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Front cover: Detail from Kurt Weihs, Designer, William Golden, Art Director, “Concentric Eye,” Fortune, February 1955
PAGE 4 SPRING 2016 TEACHER EXHIBITION GUIDE Revolution of the Eye Addison Gallery of American Art Education Department