Joan Kron commissioned Lichtenstein billboard at 98
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In 1967, Joan Kron and Audrey Sabol commissioned Roy Lichtenstein to create “Super Sunset Billboard” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after facing resistance to their idea of displaying art on billboards.
The pair initially proposed placing art on billboards throughout the city as part of the 1967 Arts Festival, but city planners rejected the concept. Kron and Sabol then secured a handball backboard and collaborated with Lichtenstein, who provided a sunset image perfectly sized for the space.
The project gained significant publicity, including both supportive and skeptical media coverage. Years later, Kron observed similar initiatives in Great Britain and the United States, validating her original vision. Before this, Kron co-organized the first East Coast Pop Art exhibition at the YM/YWHA in Philadelphia in 1962, showcasing artists like Jim Dine and Claes Oldenburg.
Now 98 years old, Kron continues to work as a journalist and documentarian, and is releasing a memoir titled The Renegade Housewives of Pop Art this December, detailing her experiences with prominent artists such as Andy Warhol and Christo. The remake of Lichtenstein’s billboard is currently on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
