Henry Diltz (American, b. 1938). Tina Turner, Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles (detail), October 1985. Chromogenic print. © Henry Diltz
October 30, 2009–January 31, 2010
Who Shot Rock & Roll is the first major museum exhibition on rock and roll to put photographers in the foreground, acknowledging their creative and collaborative role in the history of rock music. From its earliest days, rock and roll was captured in photographs that personalized, and frequently eroticized, the musicians, creating a visual identity for the genre. The photographers were handmaidens to the rock-and-roll revolution, and their images communicate the social and cultural transformations that rock has fostered since the1950s. The exhibition is in six sections: rare and revealing images taken behind the scenes; tender snapshots of young musicians at the beginnings of their careers; exhilarating photographs of live performances that display the energy, passion, style, and sex appeal of the band on stage; powerful images of the crowds and fans that are often evocative of historic paintings; portraits revealing the soul and creativity, rather than the surface and celebrity, of the musicians; and conceptual images and album covers highlighting the collaborative efforts between the image makers and the musicians.
Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present is organized by the Brooklyn Museum with guest curator Gail Buckland.
The exhibition is sponsored by 
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Generous support is provided by the Barbara and Richard Debs Exhibition Fund, the Arline and Norman M. Feinberg Exhibition Fund, and the Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Exhibition Fund. Additional support provided by Matthew Marks Gallery.
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Media
You Shot Rock
See visitor creations from "You Shot Rock," the exhibition's do-it-yourself album-cover lounge.
Remix Contest
Remix tracks composed by photographer and Blondie band member Chris Stein to create something catchy and original.
Audio
Learn more about Who Shot Rock & Roll by using an MP3 player or cell phone. Hear the photographers give the backstory on their images, or listen to Who Shot Drums & Bass tracks by Chris Stein (with DrumCore).
Three ways to listen:
Download the free audio to your own MP3 player from iTunes U.
Rent an iPod for the day at the Visitor Center in the lobby.
Call in using your cell phone. Look for artworks with labels like this: 
Talk
Visitor comments
Would have been a lot cooler if I could have actually seen anything. Seriously - time the admission.
This was an amazing exhitbition.. just wish that there werent so many people. i found myself gasping for air at many moments. But on ther bright side, i saw mamu artist that but a smile on my face! =)
too crowded to enjoy
I was so glad to see this exhibit wasn't just a love letter to posed portraits of the current Annie L. flavor. Some of the candids are unforgettable. Thank you, Brooklyn Museum! We just became members today. :-)
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
