Mattatuck Museum Presents Psychedelic Splendor: The Concert Art of AJ Masthay & Helen Kennedy

WATERBURY, Conn., May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mattatuck Museum is thrilled to present Psychedelic Splendor: The Concert Art of AJ Masthay & Helen Kennedy, on view in the Munger Gallery from June 13 through September 20, 2026. Bringing together the work of two independent central Connecticut artists, AJ Masthay and Helen Kennedy, for their first museum exhibition, Psychedelic Splendor explores the creativity, vibrancy, and psychedelic inspirations of contemporary gig posters. 

Masthay's and Kennedy's posters for rock, jam, and counterculture bands performing throughout North America have become must-have items in the world of contemporary concert art. The exhibition features more than seventy works created for bands including Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Company, Foo Fighters, Goose, The Grateful Dead, Pearl Jam, Phish, and Widespread Panic.

The artists, passionate about both their craft and the music it promotes, embrace the concert poster's established iconography—skulls and skeletons; swirling lines and bright, saturated colors; moons, stars, and planets, and the psychedelic aesthetics of the 1960s—while pushing it beyond expectations, adding fresh ideas with each new gig. The exhibition invites visitors to explore this intersection of music, promotional material, and fine printmaking while examining how visual artists shape the identity, experience, and memory of live performance.

Trained in printmaking at Hartford Art School (BFA, 1997), Masthay opened an eponymous letterpress studio in 2001. He works across printmaking techniques, including lithography, linoleum-block printing, and giclée. Kennedy, who goes by the professional moniker ZazzCorp, is a former art teacher, and since 2018, she has been making gig posters, translating her digital illustrations to screenprints. They are deadheads.

The exhibition, Psychedelic Splendor: The Concert Art of AJ Masthay & Helen Kennedy, is sponsored by Keith and Jane Mahler, Premier Concerts, and Manic Presents.

ORIGINAL EXHIBITION POSTER:
A screenprint exhibition poster by AJ Masthay and Helen Kennedy, in their first collaborative print, will be available for sale at the Mattatuck Museum gift shop. Prints from the edition of 100 are available for $60 each. Prints from a special foil edition of 17 are available for $100 each.

Ticketholders at the patron level for the June 11 benefit concert (below) will be guaranteed a poster. Posters go on sale to Mattatuck Museum members on June 12 and to the general public beginning June 13.

BENEFIT CONCERT, JUNE 11:
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Mattatuck Museum presents A Grateful Gathering: A Benefit Concert with the Mystic Dead on Thursday, June 11, at 6pm.

General Admission: $50
Patron: $125
Patron ticket includes 2 complimentary drinks, early access to concert, and an original exhibition poster by AJ Masthay & ZazzCorp / Helen Kennedy. Patron ticket secures an early order of the limited-edition poster.

More information and tickets are available: https://www.mattmuseum.org/calendar/mystic-dead-concert.

For more information about the exhibition and related programming, visit mattmuseum.org.

ABOUT THE MATTATUCK MUSEUM
Located in the heart of downtown Waterbury's architectural district, the Mattatuck Museum is a vibrant destination, known locally and regionally as a community-centered institution of American art and history. The collections at The MATT span the history of American art from the colonial era to the present day with special strengths in Naugatuck Valley history and Connecticut artists, as well as artists from around the world representing the diversity of our community. The collection includes more than 8,000 objects including paintings, unique works on paper, photography and sculpture.

In February 2021, The Mattatuck reopened after a $9 million renovation project to reimagine the Museum while continuing to be a welcoming, inclusive, stimulating, and enriching community anchor. The "new" Mattatuck Museum, designed by Ann Beha Architects, includes an extensive 14,000 square foot renovation to the existing space and an addition of almost 7,000 square feet to enhance public access, educational programming, collections storage, and exhibitions.

The Museum is operated with support from the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development/CT Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Museum is a founding member of the Consortium of Connecticut Art Museums and is a member of the Connecticut Art Trail, a group of 29 world-class museums and historic sites (ctarttrail.org).

The Mattatuck Museum is located on the Green in Waterbury, CT at 144 West Main Street. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays. The Museum offers free, convenient off-street parking directly behind the Museum and in additional lots on Park Place. The Mattatuck Museum website (mattmuseum.org) outlines the Museum's updated guidelines for visitors, including what to expect on your visit, cleaning and safety protocols, and frequently asked questions. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates and content.

CONTACT: Tanya Labeck
Marketing Manager
[email protected]
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SOURCE Mattatuck Museum