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Show Your Head (Legalise Pot Rally)

Poster
1968 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of a set of drawings and printed images in the V&A's collection by artist John Hurford. Hurford was one of the key figures in the explosion of psychedelic imagery in Britain in the late 1960s. His drawings, mainly executed in pen and ink and enlivened by brilliant washes of coloured inks, were reproduced as posters and illustrations in the leading Underground publications of the day, including Oz, IT and Gandalf's Garden.

Hurford's meticulously and minutely-particularised drawing style was coupled with his fascination with natural plant and tree forms. They gave his work a direct appeal to the hippy generation, who either aspired to get back to the simpler country life or who, as city-dwellers, nurtured a romanticised dream of rural existence.



Object details

Category
Object type
TitleShow Your Head (Legalise Pot Rally) (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Off-set lithograph in coloured inks on paper.
Brief description
Poster, 'Show Your Head (Legalise Pot Rally)', by John Hurford, England, 1968.
Physical description
Abstract design based on floral and plant forms with a man's head created from plant forms, a cannabis joint held in a plant stem and splashes and bubbles. 'Version one' in yellow, deep lilac, red and grey/purple colours and white.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 74.6cm
  • Sheet width: 50cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • LEGALISE / POT 1968 / RALLY / JULY 7TH / SUNDAY 2PM AT / SPEAKER'S CORNER HYDE PARK (Lower left corner.)
  • SHOW YOUR HEAD (Right hand side.)
  • John / Hurford (Lower left)
  • OZ / SHARP / HURFORD / Printed by "The Word" 01-7272823 (Lower right)
  • SUPPORT / RELEASE (Lower right)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is one of a set of drawings and printed images in the V&A's collection by artist John Hurford. Hurford was one of the key figures in the explosion of psychedelic imagery in Britain in the late 1960s. His drawings, mainly executed in pen and ink and enlivened by brilliant washes of coloured inks, were reproduced as posters and illustrations in the leading Underground publications of the day, including Oz, IT and Gandalf's Garden.

Hurford's meticulously and minutely-particularised drawing style was coupled with his fascination with natural plant and tree forms. They gave his work a direct appeal to the hippy generation, who either aspired to get back to the simpler country life or who, as city-dwellers, nurtured a romanticised dream of rural existence.

Collection
Accession number
E.372-2010

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
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