Boston is about to relive one of the most mythic nights in its cultural history. On Friday, December 11, 2026, the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston presents The Inevitable Return: Exploding Plastic Revisited, a celebration marking 60 years since Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground turned the museum into a storm of light and sound.
On October 29, 1966, the ICA hosted Warhol’s groundbreaking multimedia performance “Exploding Plastic Inevitable,” part of only his second-ever museum exhibition. The evening mixed live music, film projections, strobe lights and choreographed dance into a total-art experience that has since been called one of the greatest concerts in Boston history.
Now, as part of 90 YEARS, the museum’s joyful deep dive into its own history, the ICA resurrects the spirit of that unforgettable night for a new generation of art lovers. It is a rare chance to celebrate the moment when Boston stood at the very center of the avant-garde.
Art fans visiting the museum this season can also enjoy current exhibitions including To My Best Friend, Cynthia Daignault: Valley and Leilah Babirye: Embaga ya Naki ne Naki. Happy City News loves a city that honors its legends — see you at the ICA!
Photo: ICA/Boston Archives
