A critical shift took place in contemporary American art in the late 1950s. Long dominated by Abstract Expressionism, the field took a new turn as two major alternatives appeared on the scene: Assemblage Art and Post-Painterly Abstraction. Together, these new styles redirected the course of American art. Circa 1958: Breaking Ground in American Art explores this decisive moment in art history by gathering--for the first time ever--62 works by 57 artists working during this brief but important period. Based on the exhibition of the same name organized by the Ackland Art Museum at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this volume presents essays on the artists and their work by exhibition curator and Art in America corresponding editor Roni Feinstein. With an introductory essay by Ackland Director Emily Kass, Circa 1958 features insight on groundbreaking, challenging, and significant works--some rarely before exhibited--by dozens of American artists that helped forge a new era in contemporary American art.