The Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut, will present "Psychedelic Splendor: The Concert Art of AJ Masthay & Helen Kennedy" from June 13 to September 20, 2026. This is the first museum exhibition for both artists, featuring over seventy gig posters created for bands such as Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Company, Foo Fighters, Goose, The Grateful Dead, Pearl Jam, Phish, and Widespread Panic. The exhibition explores the psychedelic aesthetics and iconography of contemporary concert art, showcasing screenprints, lithographs, and linocuts. A benefit concert with the Mystic Dead will be held on June 11, and a limited-edition collaborative poster will be sold at the museum gift shop.
This exhibition matters because it elevates gig posters—often seen as ephemeral promotional material—to the status of fine art, recognizing the creative labor of visual artists who shape the identity and memory of live music performances. By featuring two local Connecticut artists in a museum setting, the show highlights the region's artistic talent and the enduring cultural influence of psychedelic and counterculture aesthetics. It also underscores the Mattatuck Museum's commitment to community-centered programming that bridges music, printmaking, and contemporary art.