EXHIBITIONS

Since its beginnings, rock ‘n’ roll has been an inherently visual movement. Dramatic concert performances replete with body gyrations and strutting on stage, wild hair-dos and costumes, pyrotechnics and light shows have given physical and visual embodiment to a revolutionary musical form reflective of society’s need for freedom and creativity. Photographers have immortalized the rebellious personas of rock ‘n’ roll stars, capturing their appearance in candid and studio portraits and in behind-the-scenes and concert shots that have become an indelible component of rock ‘n’ roll history.

Rock On! Masterworks of Rock Photography presents about 55 images of rock ‘n’ roll musicians from the early days of Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry, through the classic period of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Doors, up to today’s hip-hop musicians Tupac Shakur and LL Cool J. These iconic images by rock’s master photographers reveal the extraordinary artistry that has created a compelling visual record of self-expression in the second half of the 20th century. Photographs by Art Kane, Joel Brodsky, William Coupon, Bob Gruen, Jonathan Mannion, Mick Rock, Mark Seliger, Allan Tanenbaum and Alfred Wertheimer, among others, are included.