The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, is currently hosting an ambitious summer exhibition called "What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine". It’s one of the biggest museum shows ever dedicated to MAD Magazine's art and satire.
The exhibition explores MAD's evolution from its beginnings as a popular humor comic book in 1952 to its emergence as an influential magazine that tweaked those in power, engaging generations of loyal readers, me included. The show is popular, and the audience includes both young and old people who grew up loving the magazine’s mildly subversive attitude.
Curator Stephanie Plunkett selected a wide range of original pen-and-ink drawings and paintings created by MAD's "Usual Gang of Idiots" — including the regulars such as Jack Davis, Sergio Aragones, and Norman Mingo. There’s even a whole room devoted to works by the self-taught caricature artist Mort Drucker.
Hermann Mejía -Bored of the Rings—The Fellowship of the Ka-Ching!, 2002, Ink and watercolor on paper.
The exhibition provides a nostalgic journey for Baby Boomers who grew up with MAD, while also introducing younger readers to its satirical ingenuity.
Along with the MAD show, there’s also an accompanying exhibition of Norman Rockwell’s humorous illustration. Rockwell himself never illustrated for MAD, but he came close to doing so, and there’s an exchange of letters where he almost accepts an assignment to paint the definitive Alfred E. Neuman, but ultimately he turns it down.
Here’s a fuller roster of the artists included in the show: Sergio Aragonés, David Berg, John Caldwell, Bob Clarke, Paul Coker, Jack Davis, Mort Drucker, Will Elder, Duck Edwing, Frank Frazetta, Kelly Freas, Al Jaffee, Bob Jones, Harvey Kurtzman, Don Martin, Norman Mingo, Harry North, Paul Peter Porges, Antonio Prohías, Jack Rickard, Irving Schild, Charles Schulz, John Severin, Marie Severin, Angelo Torres, Basil Wolverton, Wally Wood, and George Woodbridge, plus a younger generation that includes Emily Flake, Mark Fredrickson, Drew Friedman, Rick Geary, Keith Knight, Peter Kuper, Liz Lomax, Dave Manak, Hermann Mejía, Rick Meyerowitz, Teresa Burns Parkhurst, C.F. Payne, Roberto Parada, Tom Richmond, Johnny Sampson, Dale Stephanos, Mark Stutzman, Rick Tulka, P.C. Vey, Sam Viviano, Richard Williams, and James Warhola.
Admission price to the museum is $25 for adults. The exhibit runs through October 27. Allow lots of time, because there are more than five big rooms jammed with art, and many of the pieces have a lot of elements to digest and a lot of text to read.
James, I was just thinking of going up to see that show myself! Last time I was at the Rockwell Museum was to see your own work in the Enchanted exhibition. That was a nice brunch with you and Jeanette, and I took your advice to day trip to see the Cole house, too.
I ended up going to Rockwell with Josh Adams (son of Neil Adams, and an illustrator in his own right) and Josh's wife Saori, then we ate in the Red Lion Inn, famous subject of Rockwell's Christmas painting. I didn't realize we were in it until I stepped back and looked at the whole thing. It was like being in a painting.
Omigosh I would be in heaven to see this exhibit! I grew up on those magazines and soaked up the humor and art like a sponge. I feel like the golden age was in the 1950s and 60s. I loved all the contributors but the stand outs for me were George Woodbridge, John Caldwell, Don Martin & Jack Davis. For nostalgia's sake, I subscribed around 2015 and it wasn't even close to the quality I grew up with as a lot of the art and humor was just gross rather than clever. (Although, Teresa Burns Parkhurst was a favorite from the newer generation of artists/writers.) Anyway, just my personal opinion. Thanks for sharing the awesome photos and experience.