hexagon icon
Past

New York: 1962 – 1964

Jul. 22, 2022 – Jan. 8, 2023

New York: 1962-1964 explores a pivotal three-year period in the history of art and culture in New York City, examining how artists living and working in New York responded to their rapidly changing world, through more than 180 works of art—all made or seen in New York between 1962-1964.

New York: 1962-1964 uses the Jewish Museum’s influential role in the early 1960s New York art scene as a jumping-off point to examine how artists living and working in New York City responded to the events that marked this moment in time.

Presenting works by Diane Arbus, Lee Bontecou, Chryssa, Merce Cunningham, Jim Dine, Martha Edelheit, Melvin Edwards, Lee Friedlander, Nancy Grossman, Robert Indiana, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Ellsworth Kelly, Yayoi Kusama, Norman Lewis, Roy Lichtenstein, Boris Lurie, Marisol, Agnes Martin, Louise Nevelson, Isamu Noguchi, Claes Oldenburg, Yvonne Rainer, Robert Rauschenberg, Faith Ringgold, Larry Rivers, James Rosenquist, Miriam Schapiro, Carolee Schneemann, George Segal, Jack Smith, Harold Stevenson, Marjorie Strider, Mark di Suvero, Bob Thompson, and Andy Warhol, among many others, the exhibition aligns with the years of Alan Solomon’s tenure as the Jewish Museum’s influential director. Solomon organized exhibitions dedicated to what he called the “New Art,” transforming the Jewish Museum into one of the most important cultural hubs in New York.

During the timeframe explored in this exhibition, epoch-changing events—such as the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (1963), and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1963)—fundamentally altered the social and political landscape of New York City, and the nation. An unprecedented economic boom broadened the array of available consumer goods, and an expanding media network introduced new voices into increasingly urgent conversations about race, class, and gender. Emerging in this context, a generation of New York-based painters, sculptors, dancers, filmmakers, and poets rose to prominence, incorporating material directly from their urban surroundings and producing works that were as rich and complex as the city itself.

In conjunction with New York: 1962-1964, the Jewish Museum is partnering with Film Forum and Film at Lincoln Center. From July 22 to August 11, Film Forum presented 1962…1963…1964, including 35 films that showcase a moment in movie history that saw the last gasps of the Hollywood studio system. From July 29 to August 4, Film at Lincoln Center presented New York, 1962-64: Underground and Experimental Cinema, which focused on a rich period of truly independent cinema.

 

In the Press
“…the era documented in the smart, split-level show called New York: 1962-1964 at the Jewish Museum, an institution which, we learn, played a significant role in the cultural shifts.”
— The New York Times

“A spectacular historical show of art and documentation.”
— The New Yorker

“…entertaining and informative.”
— The Wall Street Journal

“The Jewish Museum homes in on the rich blink between 1962 and 1964. Its dazzling and generous survey overflows with justifiable nostalgia.”
— Financial Times

“Don’t miss this show.”
— The Brooklyn Rail

This is the last project conceived and curated by Germano Celant (1940-2020), the renowned art historian, critic, and curator. The exhibition and accompanying book have been developed by Studio Celant according to Celant’s curatorial vision in close collaboration with the Jewish Museum: Claudia Gould, Helen Goldsmith Menschel Director; Darsie Alexander, Susan and Elihu Rose Chief Curator; Sam Sackeroff, Lerman-Neubauer Associate Curator; and Kristina Parsons, Leon Levy Curatorial Assistant. The exhibition is designed by Selldorf Architects. It will be accompanied by a 350-page catalogue developed by Celant and designed by Michael Rock from 2x4.

New York: 1962-1964 is made possible by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation.

Major support for the exhibition is provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom; The Ellsworth Kelly Foundation; the National Endowment for the Arts; Tracy Li; The Joan Toepfer Charitable Trust; the Arnhold Family; The Walter and Lucille Rubin Foundation; Agnes Gund; Helen Frankenthaler Foundation; Johanna and Lief D. Rosenblatt; The Goldie and David Blanksteen Foundation; Wendy Fisher and the Kirsh Foundation; The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc; The Skirball Fund for American Jewish Life Exhibitions; Horace W. Goldsmith Exhibitions Endowment Fund; the Alfred J. Grunebaum & Ruth Grunebaum Sondheimer Memorial Fund; and the Leon Levy Foundation.

In celebration of Germano Celant, additional support is provided by Gagosian; Barbara Gladstone; Barbara Bertozzi Castelli and Castelli Gallery; Marianne Boesky Gallery; Paula Cooper Gallery; David Israel and Julie Hillman; Barbara and Richard S. Lane; Lévy Gorvy; Pace Gallery; Isabella del Frate Rayburn; Thaddaeus Ropac - London Paris Salzburg Seoul; Stéphane Samuel and Robert M. Rubin; David Zwirner; Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu; Lisa Silver and Jean-Christophe Castelli; Peter and Ellen Cohen; Virginia Dwan; Gray, Chicago/New York; Valerie Carberry and Richard Wright; and Laurie Beckelman.

The publication is made possible, in part, by the Wyeth Foundation for American Art; The Boris Lurie Art Foundation and The Schaina and Josephina Lurje Memorial Foundation, Both Founded by Gertrude Stein; Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund; and the Dorot Foundation.

Grainy black and white photograph of the Empire State Building at night, with its top brightly illuminated against a hazy, dark sky. The silhouette of other New York City buildings is faintly visible at the bottom of the image.

Andy Warhol, Film still from Empire, 1964.16 mm film transferred to video (black and white, silent), 8 hrs. 5 min. at 16 fps. The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA, © The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA, a museum of Carnegie Institute. All rights reserved.

Exhibition highlights

  • Painting with large block letters reading “SIGHT” filled with red roses on a white background. Below, a recessed rectangular window shows the word “SEEN” in bold orange letters against a pale blue background with visible cracks.

    James Rosenquist, Sightseeing, 1962. Oil on canvas, glass, and walnut, 48 x 60 in. (121.9 x 152.4 cm). The St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO. Purchase with funds given by the Shoenberg Foundation, Inc. (19:1975). © James Rosenquist Foundation / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Used by permission. All rights reserved

  • Abstract painting featuring concentric circles in black, yellow, and green, centered on a muted gold background. The outer edges of the circles are irregular and surrounded by loose, dark gray brushstrokes that give the image a dynamic, almost smoky effect.

    Kenneth Noland, Spread, 1958. Oil on canvas, 117 x 117 in. (297.2 x 297.2 cm). Grey Art Gallery, New York University Art Collection, New York, NY.Gift of William S. Rubin (1964.20). © The Kenneth Noland Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

  • Mixed-media abstract artwork composed of layered, stitched, and collaged dark brown, beige, and black fabric pieces. The composition has a highly textured surface with visible seams, rough edges, and organic shapes, framed in a simple wooden frame against a white background.

    Nancy Grossman, Black Landscape (aka Landscape), 1964. Leather, fabric, metal, wood, fur, bristle, paper, nylon and paint assemblage mounted on plywood, 49 7/8 x 38 x 3 1/2 in. (126.7 x 96.5 x 8.9 cm). Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY. © Nancy Grossman

  • Abstract circular composition with stitched and textured brown, tan, and black fabric segments radiating from a central black void. The artwork features visible seams, curved and angular panels, and a sense of depth as the shapes converge into the dark central circle. Framed in black.

    Lee Bontecou, Untitled, 1959. Welded steel, canvas, black fabric, soot, and wire, 58 1/8 x 58 1/2 x 17 ⅜ in. (147.5 x 148.5 x 44 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold H. Maremont (2.1960). © Lee Bontecou

  • Poster for a Rauschenberg exhibition at the Jewish Museum, featuring an abstract collage-style design in black and white with mixed media elements including rough textures, photographic imagery, sketched forms, and hand-written text. The text includes exhibition details such as the museum address (1109 Fifth Ave), hours, and days closed.

    Poster for Robert Rauschenberg (1963) at the Jewish Museum, NY. © 2022 Robert Rauschenberg Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Image courtesy the Jewish Museum.

  • The opening of Robert Rauschenberg at the Jewish Museum, NY, ca. March 31, 1963. Artworks © 2022 Robert Rauschenberg Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

    Installation view of the exhibition Robert Rauschenberg, March 31-May 12, 1963. The Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Black and white photograph of an art gallery showcasing abstract sculpture and relief works. In the center is a large wooden sculpture constructed from rough planks and beams, balanced precariously with a suspended tire. The surrounding walls feature textured, three-dimensional relief panels with circular and geometric forms, creating a dynamic and industrial atmosphere.

    Installation view of Recent American Sculpture (1964) at the Jewish Museum, NY. Artworks © Lee Bontecou (on the walls) and © Mark Di Suvero (sculpture in the middle). Image courtesy the Jewish Museum.

  • Abstract artwork composed of three stacked horizontal color fields: red on top, yellow in the middle, and blue at the bottom. The surface features expressive black scribbles and textured marks overlaying the colored sections, creating a sense of dynamic movement and layered depth. The paper’s edges are uneven, suggesting a hand-pulled print.

    Jasper Johns, Painting with Two Balls I, 1962. Color lithograph on handmade Kochi paper, 26 5/8 x 20 11/16 in. (67.63 x 52.55 cm). Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN. Gift of Thomas Edblom (P.79.150). © Jasper Johns / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

  • Pop art style close-up of a woman's face with pale skin, vivid blue eyes, thick black lashes, and black hair. Her red lips are open, showing white teeth, and she is holding a red lollipop with a white stick in her mouth. The background is dark brown, and the artwork features bold outlines and flat colors, typical of comic-inspired pop art.

    Marjorie Strider, Girl with Radish, 1963. Acrylic on laminated pine on Masonite panels, 72 x 60 in. Collection of Ruth and Theodore Baum, New York/Palm Beach, FL

  • Abstract black-and-white painting with an irregular, fragmented composition. White brushstrokes and angular shapes form a chaotic, star-like cluster at the center, set against a solid black background. The shapes resemble scattered calligraphic or typographic forms, giving the artwork a dynamic, energetic feel. Signed

    Norman Lewis, Journey to an End, 1964. Oil on canvas. 52 x 50 in. (132.08 x 127 cm). Mott-Warsh Collection, Flint, MI. © Estate of Norman Lewis, Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY

  • Colorful abstract painting depicting stylized human and animal figures. A pink horse stands on the left beside a human figure with leopard-print legs leaning forward. To the right, yellow and red figures interact around a yellow horse. In the background, a large dark green and blue shape looms over the scene, with dramatic, simplified forms and bold, flat colors creating a sense of movement and tension.

    Bob Thompson, The Golden Ass, 1963. Oil on canvas. 62 1/2 x 74 1/2 inches / 158.8 x 189.2 cm, signed. Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York.

  • Metal sculpture composed of a rectangular black steel frame supporting a suspended arrangement of industrial-looking metal objects. Chains and rods hold a central cluster of dark, roughly textured metal parts, with geometric tension created by the angled supports and suspended elements. The structure casts sharp shadows on the white wall behind it.

    Melvin Edwards, Chaino, 1964. Welded steel and chains. 62 × 102 × 26 in. (157.5 × 259.1 × 66 cm). Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, MA. Museum purchase, Karl E. Weston Memorial Fund (M.2015.10). © Melvin Edwards / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

  • Colorful wooden sculpture featuring a rectangular base divided into yellow, blue, and brown panels. Seven carved wooden heads with distinct facial expressions and hairstyles are mounted on top of the base. Various carved wooden limbs—arms and legs—are attached to the front and sides, giving the piece a playful, anthropomorphic appearance. The overall composition combines abstract geometry with figural elements.

    Marisol (Marisol Escobar), Self-Portrait, 1961-62. Wood, plaster, marker, paint, graphite, human teeth, gold, and plastic. 43 1/2 x 45 1/4 x 75 5/8 in. (110.5 x 114.9 x 192.1 cm). Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, IL. Gift of Joseph and Jory Shapiro. © 2022 Estate of Marisol / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

  • Large, mostly white artwork with faint black and gray imprints scattered across the surface. The composition includes smudges, erased marks, partial newspaper clippings, hand-drawn lines, numbers, and faint recognizable images like a human figure, faces, and question mark. The piece has a ghostly, fragmented, and layered quality, suggesting erasure and accumulation of ephemeral visual information.

    Robert Rauschenberg, Headline, 1962. Solvent transfer, graphite and watercolor on paper, 37 1/4 x 45 1/4 in. (94.6 x 114.9 cm). Jonathan O’Hara Gallery. © 2022 Robert Rauschenberg Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

  • Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

    Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

    Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

    Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

    Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

    Installation view of New York: 1962–1964 at the Jewish Museum July 22, 2022–January 8, 2023. © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com