Washington, DC History & Culture

1976, The Year In Music, Part 1 of 2 - History & Culture Livestream Hosted by Robert Kelleman

Fifty years ago, in 1976, we were celebrating our nation’s bicentennial and the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Disco was extremely popular, but there were many other great music genres including classic rock, funk, soul, soft rock, and county.

Let’s explore the 1976 year in music, including how the unique sounds of that era related to other pop culture forms such as film, television, fashion, media, the visual arts, sports, literature, politics, etc.

This will be a two-part series on
Friday, December 4, and
Saturday, December 5.

During and after the program you’ll have the opportunity to participate in an online discussion with your fellow music lovers via Zoom.

1976, The Year In Music …

Paul McCartney & Wings
Elton John
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Diana Ross
Queen
KC and the Sunshine Band
The Bee Gees
Lou Rawls
David Bowie
Donna Summer
Rufus & Chaka Khan
Chicago
Fleetwood Mac
Paul Anka
Earth, Wind & Fire
Electric Light Orchestra
David Ruffin
& More!

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Pollock Screening: Ed Harris As Jackson Pollock - Art History Livestream - Hosted by Robert Kelleman

Let's honor and remember one of America's greatest modern artists, Jackson Pollock, on the 70th anniversary of his death (August 11, 1956).
We'll be screening the 2000 film "Pollock", which features an all-star cast including Ed Harris in the title role.

The first portion of our program, approximately 15-20 minutes, will be a brief overview of the film, including its historical context, plot summary, things to look for, accuracy, etc.
The second portion of our program will be a full screening of the film.

During and after the screening we invite you to participate in a discussion of the film with your fellow art lovers via Zoom.

Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956) was an American painter. A major figure in the abstract expressionist movement, he was widely noticed for his "drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface, enabling him to view and paint his canvases from all angles. It was called all-over painting and action painting, because Pollock covered the entire canvas and used the force of his whole body to paint, often in a frenetic dancing style. This extreme form of abstraction divided critics: some praised the immediacy of the creation, while others derided the random effects.
A reclusive and volatile personality, Pollock struggled with alcoholism for most of his life. In 1945, he married artist Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy. Pollock died in August 1956 at age 44 in an alcohol-related single-car collision when he was driving. Four months after his death, Pollock was given a memorial retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. A larger, more comprehensive exhibition of his work was held there in 1967. In 1998 and 1999, Pollock's work was honored with large-scale retrospective exhibitions at MoMA and the Tate Gallery in London.

Pollock is a 2000 American independent biographical drama film centered on the life of American painter Jackson Pollock, his struggles with alcoholism, as well as his troubled marriage to his wife Lee Krasner. The film stars Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer, Robert Knott, Bud Cort, Molly Regan, and Sada Thompson, and was directed by Harris.
Marcia Gay Harden won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for portraying Lee Krasner. Ed Harris received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Pollock. The film was a long-term personal project for Harris based on his reading of the 1989 biography Jackson Pollock: An American Saga, written by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith.

1976, The Year In Music, Part 2 of 2 - History & Culture Livestream Hosted by Robert Kelleman

Fifty years ago, in 1976, we were celebrating our nation’s bicentennial and the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Disco was extremely popular, but there were many other great music genres including classic rock, funk, soul, soft rock, and county.

Let’s explore the 1976 year in music, including how the unique sounds of that era related to other pop culture forms such as film, television, fashion, media, the visual arts, sports, literature, politics, etc.

This will be a two-part series on
Friday, December 4, and
Saturday, December 5.

During and after the program you’ll have the opportunity to participate in an online discussion with your fellow music lovers via Zoom.

1976, The Year In Music …

Paul McCartney & Wings
Elton John
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Diana Ross
Queen
KC and the Sunshine Band
The Bee Gees
Lou Rawls
David Bowie
Donna Summer
Rufus & Chaka Khan
Chicago
Fleetwood Mac
Paul Anka
Earth, Wind & Fire
Electric Light Orchestra
David Ruffin
& More!

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