Rock'n'roll 39-59

From the boogie-woogie craze in the years following 1939 to the events of the late fifties that marked the end of the first golden age of rock ’n’ roll, this two-part exhibition sets the phenomenon within a broad context of social, cultural, and artistic change.

The ground floor of the Fondation Cartier captures the mood of the time, the spirit of freedom and rebellion that were at the heart of the rock ’n’ roll explosion in the mid-1950s. The basement area presents the bloodline of this musical melting-pot, focusing on the different musical styles that influenced rock ’n’ roll—boogie-woogie, blues, gospel, big band jazz, country music, and most of all rhythm and blues.

The golden age of rock ’n’ roll, between 1954 and 1959, is brought to life with pictures and sound, recalling the key places, events, artists, producers, and people behind the scenes that made rock ’n’ roll what it was.