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Harper Lee. "To Kill a Mockingbird."
One of the most widely-read novels of high school students in the United States, Harper Lee's, "To Kill a Mockingbird" tells a story from a child's perspective concerning racial justice, policing, the justice system, and how life impacted those living in the American South. -
Period: to
Fine Arts of the 1960s & 1970s
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Morris Louis. Beta Lambda, 1961, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York.
A part of his "Unfurled" paintings, "Beta Lambda," was one of Louis's final works produced in his life. Louis experimented with the size and structure of the canvas throughout this oeuvre, and often left large swaths of the canvas blank, as represented here. This style, also referred to as "color field painting," encouraged viewers to dissect formal artistic elements and see color for what it is in its most basic form. -
Claes Oldenburg. "Floor Burger," 1962, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada.
Claes Oldenburg gained popularity as a sculptural artist during the 1960s and 1970s for his witty and often humorous, large-scale, everyday objects. Many of his works center around food and the concept of consumption. Marked by an apparent "softness," these works address the idea of reconceptualizing objects in the museum setting. -
Bridget Riley. "Fall," 1963, Tate Britain, London, United Kingdom
Bridget Riley, a prominent "Op" artist, was at the forefront of the Op Art movement of the 60s. This movement is named after "optical illusion," as works during this art period would include works that would deliberately trick the eye. Many Op Art works would be rendered in black and white, like Riley's "Fall," to intentionally add an additional layer of visual interest. -
Betty Friedan. "The Feminine Mystique"
The Feminine Mystique is the book most commonly associated with beginning the Second Wave Feminist Movement in the United States. This book outlines many of the ways that women are disenfranchised and offered different opportunities than men. This book covers the inequalities women face in the domestic sphere, in the workplace, in public life, and within society. -
Yayoi Kusama. "Infinity Mirror Room," 1965, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Louisiana.
Yayoi Kusama is one of the most famous artists working throughout the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries. Marked by her famous use of polka-dots and immersive rooms, this "Infinity Mirror Room" allows visitors to become completely immersed in the seemingly endless room that Kusama creates. This room features hundreds, if not thousands, of hand sewn structures that encourage viewers to see the vastness and sheer wonder of their surrounding. -
Eero Saarinen. "Gateway Arch," 1965, St. Louis, Missouri.
This monument was built to serve as an ode to western expansion in the United States. Interestingly, this monument combines architecture and art, as this monument is completely accessible to visitors. Standing around 630 feet, this monument is the largest memorial in America and the largest steel monument in the world. The construction of the Gateway Arch marked a gradual shift in the urbanization and modernization of American architecture. -
The Supremes, "Stop! In the Name of Love"
The Supremes were a group synonymous with the Motown musical style that arose in Detroit, Michigan in the 1960s. The Motown movement played an important part in racial desegregation and integration, as this movement was made up of mostly African American artists and performers. This song, performed by The Supremes, has been covered by countless artists and is one of the most well-known songs of the 1960s for its catchy, upbeat tempo and cool melody. -
Andy Warhol. Marilyn, 1967, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York.
Andy Warhol, perhaps the most prominent figure of the Pop Art movement famously created a series of Marilyn Monroe after her death. This portrait of the actress was commonplace in the media and Warhol heightened this portrayal to fine art by altering the colors to garish tones while highlighting the concepts of celebrity and the roles that media plays in cultural life. -
Donald Judd. "Untitled," 1967, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York.
Donald Judd created a series of "Untitled" works throughout the 1960s that offer a progressive approach to considering space, time, and color- especially in the museum space. His works follow after the Minimalist tradition of simplification and the diminishing of forms into their most basic structures. This shelf-like work allows viewers to analyze the color, space, and repetitiveness of Judd's artistic vision. -
The Beatles, "Here Comes the Sun"
The Beatles took the world by storm in the 1960s as counterculture and protest surrounding the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement became a major part of the vast social change occurring. The United Kingdom based band had an extensive discography, having produced around thirteen albums. "Here Comes the Sun" appears on the album Abbey Road and is among the Beatles' most famous works. -
Maya Angelou. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
One of the most evocative pieces of American literature from the Twentieth Century, Maya Angelou's autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" tells the story of Angelou's childhood and early adulthood. Angelou's autobiography retells the triumphs and struggles that she faced by being a black woman in during the Civil Rights Movement and her critiques of culture more broadly. -
Eva Hesse. "No Title," 1969-1970, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, New York.
Eva Hesse is renown for her highly conceptual works that address irregularity, beauty, and the roles of women in the art industry. This work "No Title," is among Hesse's most famous, which uses industrial materials to emphasize its minimalist and irregular shape. The rope is hardened and hung from the ceiling. The rope is knotted and tied in a seemingly random arrangement, emphasizing Hesse's deliberate ability to eschew traditional ideas of beauty. -
Alice Neel. "Jackie Curtis and Ritta Redd," 1970, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio.
Alice Neel is one of the most preeminent portraiture artists of the Twentieth Century, but has largely been overlooked throughout the art historical canon due to her gender. Making "pictures of people," Neel painted highly psychological pieces that addressed, in some way, the personality and life history of the sitter. This double portrait, features Jackie Curtis on the left and Ritta Redd on the right. Redd, a popular drag performer, claims compositional dominance in this work. -
Elton John, "Rocket Man"
Considered one of the best songs ever written and performed, Elton John's song "Rocket Man" is commonplace in American culture. This song tells the story of an astronaut leaving his family to travel to space. This classic rock ballad remains explicative of the 1970s, and is still popular today due to its timeless melody and musical arrangement. -
Jørn Utzon. "Sydney Opera House," 1973, Sydney, Australia
Featuring a Modern Expressionist design, the Sydney Opera House is among the most famous pieces of architecture ever created. Built in Australia, surrounded by water, this bold structure hosts over 1,500 performances every year and is visited by thousands due to its contemporary design and modern aesthetic. -
Dolly Parton, "Jolene"
One of the most prolific songwriters of all time, Dolly Parton's extensive musical career is both groundbreaking and unprecedented. "Jolene" is one of Parton's most famous songs which tells the story of Parton pleading with another woman to not lure her partner away or encourage infidelity. The song is Parton's most covered songs and remains to be one of the most widely listened to country music songs of all time. -
Piet Blom. "Cube Houses," 1977, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
These extremely modern homes represent an extremely innovative approach to architectural styling. Blom's original design has been adapted and used in various other cities and locations since these original works were completed. -
Stephen King. "The Shining."
Stephen King is likely the most renowned horror authors of all time. "The Shining" is one of Kings first novels, and tells the thrilling story of a haunted hotel, based on King's personal experience after staying at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. This book is very culturally significant, as it has inspired an array of art, media, and a film of the same name- which was critically acclaimed in its own right. -
Bob Marley and the Wailers, "Three Little Birds"
This seminal piece of reggae music brought this style of music into mainstream American culture. This song features an upbeat tempo, melody, and lyrics that are notoriously soothing. Marley made a name for himself in popular culture and is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of reggae music. -
Audrey Flack. Wheel of Fortune (Vanitas), 1977-78, Parrish Museum of Art, Walter Mill, New York.
Praised for her Photorealistic works, Audrey Flack meticiously paints staged scenes relating to popular culture, death, history, and feminism. Her works seek to elicit an emotional response from the viewer while commenting on some aspect of society and culture. This work includes an art historical reference to the tradition of the "momento mori" or a reminder of impending death. Flack stages her painting with accoutrements evocative of the passage of time, death, and symbols of femininity. -
William Styron. "Sophie's Choice."
One of the most evocative pieces of Holocaust-related literature, "Sophie's Choice" tells the story of the aftermath of the Holocaust and its lasting impact on survivors. This gripping story is heart wrenching and psychological due to its thematic portrayals of mental illness, trauma, and the idea of survival. -
Judy Chicago. "The Dinner Party," 1974-79, Brooklyn Museum, New York, New York.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the Feminist Art Movement emerged in the art world as a catalyst to heighten the voices of women artists. Among these artists, Judy Chicago is perhaps the most well-known, having produces unapologetic works that explore femininity, and the marginalization faced by women due to the patriarchy. "The Dinner Party," features 39 place settings for women throughout history who have shaped history and how society views women.