Echoes of the 1950s: Experimental Works Inspired by a Transformative Decade

Presented in partnership with Sleep in Cinema and Substrate Radio as part of the Museum’s 75th anniversary, Echoes of the 1950s: Experimental Works Inspired by a Transformative Decade features experimental short films, visual works, and original live musical scores by Ryan Hora, Paul Wilm, Sarah Marie Orr, and Byron Sonnier. Drawing inspiration from the visual language, social dynamics, technological change, and cultural imagination of the 1950s, the artists offer contemporary interpretations of a decade whose influence continues to shape culture and society today.
Following the screenings, Gareth Jones, film scholar and co-host of Substrate Radio’s Sleep in Cinema, will lead a conversation with artists Paul Wilm, Ryan Hora, Sarah Marie Orr, and Byron Sonnier, joined by Doug Baulos, Associate Professor of Drawing and Book Making at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Together they will explore the artistic influences, creative process, and enduring relevance of the 1950s in contemporary culture.
Image caption: Paul Wilm (born 1970), Panic Mode, 2026, house paint and ink on found wood, 33 × 25 in. (83.82 × 63.5 cm.); collection of the artist.