Phoenix Art Museum announced on May 12 that it will present “Modern Treads: The Discount Tire Poster Collection” beginning June 13, 2026. The exhibition will showcase 15 oversized posters and color lithographs from major tire companies such as Michelin, Dunlop, Continental, Pirelli, and Goodyear. It will also include period automotive fashions from the museum’s collection and run through January 3, 2027.
The exhibition highlights how art and industry have intersected over time. Jeremy Mikolajczak, the museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, said, “Throughout history, artistic expression, design, and industrial innovation have evolved side by side. In this exhibition, visitors will experience how dynamic art forms like lithography captured the excitement and transformative impact of the automobile. This presentation also reflects the Museum’s own longstanding connection to car culture through the Men’s Arts Council Copperstate 1000… We are deeply grateful to Discount Tire for sharing these remarkable works with Arizona audiences.”
The Discount Tire Collection was started in 1982 by Bruce T. Halle (1930–2018), founder of Discount Tire in Scottsdale. The collection includes more than 500 color lithographs and vintage advertising posters dating from the late nineteenth century to the mid-1980s.
The show is organized into four sections: Art in Motion explores links between rubber manufacturing and modern art; The Golden Radius focuses on tires as symbols of freedom; Wheels of Change examines innovation in pneumatic design; Industry and Reform addresses environmental impacts and shifts toward sustainability. Rachel Zebro, Associate Curator of Collections at Phoenix Art Museum who co-curated the show with Susan Driver of Discount Tire Collection said: “Bright, bold, and full of character… these posters invite visitors… to step back in time to the dawn of the 20th century… Created in collaboration with Discount Tire… Modern Treads offers a rare opportunity for PhxArt to highlight a lesser-known side of art history.”
Susan Driver added: “We are delighted to share a piece of this remarkable collection in conjunction with the milestone anniversary of Route 66… These artworks depict first-hand a transformation of daily life that made long-distance travel possible — not only across the United States but around the world.” Sentari Minor from Men’s Arts Council said: “We are proud to support an exhibition that highlights creativity and cultural impact… This year’s Copperstate 1000 celebrated the 100th anniversary of Route 66…”
According to the official website, Phoenix Art Museum operates as one of largest art institutions in southwestern United States with a collection exceeding twenty thousand objects spanning diverse cultures and periods while reaching hundreds thousands visitors each year through exhibitions programs designed for inclusivity engagement learning experiences over its sixty-year history.
