On Broadway in Kingston, the Kingston Pop Museum is an art lover’s paradise. Presented by owner and curator John Stavros, the Ulster County museum celebrates all things pop art — and a new exhibit highlights Stavros’ unbelievable private collection this November. Titled “Granny Takes a Trip,” the exhibit is a showcase of an astonishing array of pop culture collectibles.
For Stavros, pop art has long occupied his life, from fashion and art to music and entertainment. At the Kingston Pop Museum, he hopes to spotlight that which he is passionate about under one roof. Best known for its eclectic visual arts experiences, the museum typically highlights the works of globally established as well as local up-and-coming artists alike, but its new exhibit dives into a life-long collection that was curated by Hudson Valley local Stavros.
Only a short drive away from the location of the original Woodstock Festival, the Kingston Pop Museum’s new exhibit “Granny Takes a Trip” capitalizes on many of the same themes of peace and love that were prevalent during the time of the festival in the mid-1900s. From the unique to the beautiful to the odd and otherwise trippy culture that developed and thrived during the mid-century era, the collection has it all, with one-of-a-kind pieces that are sure to amaze any art or history lover.
With items spanning from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, “Granny Takes a Trip” includes pieces from a time when celebrities in music, art, and fashion gave momentum to the rebellion and revolution of the youth who developed the Glam Mod scene. Stavros, who has been growing this collection for decades, is finally sharing the art, personal items, and more from some of the most iconic names in pop culture from the mid-1900s to today.
Among the pieces in the collection, museum-goers will find Andy Warhol’s letter of rejection to MOMA from 1956; a full set of four rare and highly coveted Beatles dolls; furniture that belonged to industry titans like Bill Aucoin, the former manager of KISS, and Bob Guccione, the founder of Penthouse; and various rock and roll memorabilia, including four custom-painted Volkswagens and a Westfalia that belonged to the road manager of the Dave Matthews Band.
The exhibit opens to the public on November 16 with an exciting evening of art and music, featuring an international group art exhibit and live music performances from local Ramona Lane, along with New York City-based artists SoulCake, Walter G., Steding, Mark Hawdon, and Puma Perl + Joe Sztabnik.
The Kingston Pop Museum is located at 672 Broadway in Kingston.
