The Skirball Cultural Center will host an exhibit called Rock & Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip from March 24 through Aug. 16.
The show, based on the work of Robert Landau, will feature more than 20 pieces. Taken from Landau’s extensive collection of photographs, which he began shooting as a teenager, it captures the temporary, hand-painted billboards that lined Los Angeles’ iconic Sunset Strip for nearly two decades. The museum touts Landau’s as the “only extensive collection” to document this artwork, so well-suited for the city’s driving culture.
The exhibit traces the phenomenon of rock billboard advertisements from its inception in 1967 promoting the Doors’ debut album until the 1980s and the launch of MTV. It will feature signage for the Beatles, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Cher, Pink Floyd and many others.
The Skirball will also host an accompanying installation site-specific mural painting by local artist and former professional billboard painter Enrique Vidal depicting Jerry Garcia‘s guitar known as “Wolf,” rendered to billboard scale. Also, on April 21, Vidal and Landau will speak at the center to share their experiences over this era and discuss their artistic careers. The exhibition is based on Landau’s fifth book, Rock & Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip.
This article first appeared on Billboard.com.
