Muckenthaler Cultural Center “Heroes, Heroines, Idols and Icons” exhibition

"Jeff Del Nero: A prominent contemporary fine artist who highlighted this specific exhibition as a core milestone in his early career. His contribution to the exhibit included his piece “Homage to the Onion Pickers,” which was part of his historically grounded Worker Series." Orange County Series Collection

The exhibition included well known artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Merrill Gage, Jasper Johns, Annie Leibovitz, Jim Morphesis, Robert Rauschenberg, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Andy Warhol

Exhibition

Heroes, Heroines, Idols & Icons
Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, California
April 21 – July 8, 1990
Curator: Norman Lloyd

The exhibition became nationally known after members of the Muckenthaler board removed Annie Leibovitz's famous photograph of John Lennon embracing Yoko Ono. The work was reinstated after widespread criticism, but the controversy led to Norman Lloyd's resignation and became an important case study in museum censorship and curatorial authority.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-30-ca-273-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-28-me-349-story.html