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ALBANY, N.Y. -- Pop Art revolutionized the art world. Now, it's here at the New York State Museum.

Pop Art: Selections from The Museum of Modern Art will be featured at the State Museum, a program of the New York State Education Department, from Feb. 26 to May 2, 1999.

The show kicks off the Fleet Great Art Exhibition and Education Program, a series of exhibits from New York City art museums to be held at the State Museum through 2001.

Some of the highlights include Warhol's famous series of thirty-two Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962, and Self-Portrait, 1966; Wesselmann's well-known Still Life #30; and Oldenburg's Giant Soft Fan, 1966-67.

The State Museum will offer educational programs for both adults and children centered on Pop Art. Those include providing an artist in residence to lead guided tours on weekends in March and April. Teaching artist Tom Gagnon will also work with the public in a special program area to help visitors create their own works of art. He plans to visit schools preparing students for their Pop Art experience at the State Museum

Special teaching training opportunities will be offered, including one by the State Education Department's Assessment Institute - Connections: Visual Arts Learning Standards and Student Learning, March 18-19.

The Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company will present a free one hour family performance of dance works that, like Pop Art, makes art from everyday objects and ideas, April 17 at 2 p.m.

Curated by Anne Umland, Pop Art will feature 28 works from MoMA's renowned collection - all created in the U.S. during the 1960s - the defining decade of this movement.

The exhibition will include key figures in Pop Art, such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Indiana and Tom Wesselmann.

The series is funded through a $450,000 grant from Fleet, most to be used over the next three years to bring exceptional shows to the State Museum. An additional $100,000 challenge grant from The Hearst Foundation, Inc. will help the Museum further strengthen the program.

The series was made possible with the leadership of state Sen. Roy M. Goodman, R-Manhattan, who initiated these exhibits by encouraging the partnership between the State Museum and the great art museums of New York City.

Along with Goodman, Harry M. Rosenfeld, editor-at-large of the Times Union of Albany, was instrumental in assisting the State Museum for the cultural enrichment of everyone residing in the Capital Region.

For slides please call, 518/474-0079

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