The Fondation Cartier pour l�art contemporain is pleased to present from June 22th to October 28th Rock�n�Roll 39-59, an exhibition devoted to the genesis, evolution, and history of rock�n�roll in the United States between 1939 and 1959. A musical and social phenomenon rooted in various musical styles of the 1940s, predominantly rhythm & blues, rock�n�roll reached its apogee with Elvis Presley and began to spread beyond the frontiers of the United States in 1956.However, signs of decline were already apparent by the end of the decade: Elvis joined the army, Jerry Lee Lewis mired in disgrace, Chuck Berry got in trouble with the law, Little Richard turned to religion, and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash. Meanwhile, mediocre, manufactured imitations of the original rockers were beginning to flood the market. In the years following World War II, rock�n�roll reflected the dynamism of a society emerging from the constraints of racial segregation. From the uninhibited vocals of Little Richard to the exhilarating energy of Jerry Lee Lewis, from the raw sensuality of Elvis Presley to the witty lyrics of Chuck Berry, the world has never quite been the same again after the birth of this new musical genre. This exhibition takes us on an aural and visual journey into the heart of this transgressive musical phenomenon. It is divided into two parts: the first captures the hedonism and incredible surge of freedom that were at the heart of the rock�n�roll explosion in the mid-1950s, while the second historical sequence takes us back to its origins and guides us through the history of its key figures, places, and events. With its priceless period posters, records, and rare objects, its photographs, films and,of course, music and sounds, this exhibition invites visitors to relive a key cultural phenomenon in American history, one that mirrored and drove a major social transformation whose heritage remains vibrantly alive today.
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