An 'Old, Weird' History Lesson From Dylan's American Songbook

A new exhibition at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln is a lesson in history, but not the kind you learn in school. "The Old, Weird America: Folk Themes in Contemporary Art" explores folklore and myth, as interpreted by artists in the United States today. Work from 18 artists fills the museum's indoor galleries, making it the largest exhibition the DeCordova has ever shown.
The award-winning show, traveling from Houston's contemporary arts museum, covers the period from the first Thanksgiving to the beginning of the Space Age. It draws its inspiration and title from a book on how folk music influenced Bob Dylan and his album, "The Basement Tapes." We visited as the show was being installed, to talk with museum curator Nick Capasso and one of the artists, Allison Smith.