'Van Morrison' psychedelic concert poster No.88-1
Poster
1967 (made)
1967 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Wes Wilson described his graphic design aesthetic as "visual poetry set into poster formats." Wilson worked primarily in bold colours, to complement the psychedelic light shows which took place during performances at the Fillmore Auditorium and its rival the Avalon Ballroom. His eye-catching posters feature inventive lettering - which became increasingly stylised and illegible as his style evolved. Wilson began designing posters for Bill Graham's Fillmore venue from its opening in 1966, but soon designed exclusively for the Fillmore. The collaboration was relatively short-lived, ending acrimoniously in 1967 (with the exception of two additional posters he created in December 1968).
Wilson’s technique exhibited an expressive approach to composition, and added layers of meaning and allusion that could sometimes be overlooked. For example, at first glance, this poster appears to depict schematic, vibrant flames in highly contrasting colours. At second glance, the names of the bands and details relating to the venue can be picked out, although it is difficult to decipher. But it is only through careful scrutiny that the face of a bearded man, with the Sanskrit symbol adorning his forehead, becomes visible.
Wilson’s technique exhibited an expressive approach to composition, and added layers of meaning and allusion that could sometimes be overlooked. For example, at first glance, this poster appears to depict schematic, vibrant flames in highly contrasting colours. At second glance, the names of the bands and details relating to the venue can be picked out, although it is difficult to decipher. But it is only through careful scrutiny that the face of a bearded man, with the Sanskrit symbol adorning his forehead, becomes visible.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Titles |
|
Materials and techniques | Colour offset lithograph |
Brief description | 'Burning' psychedelic concert poster No88-1 by Wes Wilson for Family Dog Productions, USA, 1967 |
Physical description | 'Burning', psychedelic poster made up of green flame-like shapes on a red background. At the top of the poster, a Sanskrit inscription is visible, and below this the face of a bearded man can be deciphered. A purple 'T'-shape contains the names of the acts that the poster is promoting: 'Van Morrison, plus The Daily Flash and Hair, all at The Avalon', all in amorphous purple letters. Either side of this are the event details. |
Dimensions |
|
Marks and inscriptions |
|
Credit line | Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Wes Wilson described his graphic design aesthetic as "visual poetry set into poster formats." Wilson worked primarily in bold colours, to complement the psychedelic light shows which took place during performances at the Fillmore Auditorium and its rival the Avalon Ballroom. His eye-catching posters feature inventive lettering - which became increasingly stylised and illegible as his style evolved. Wilson began designing posters for Bill Graham's Fillmore venue from its opening in 1966, but soon designed exclusively for the Fillmore. The collaboration was relatively short-lived, ending acrimoniously in 1967 (with the exception of two additional posters he created in December 1968). Wilson’s technique exhibited an expressive approach to composition, and added layers of meaning and allusion that could sometimes be overlooked. For example, at first glance, this poster appears to depict schematic, vibrant flames in highly contrasting colours. At second glance, the names of the bands and details relating to the venue can be picked out, although it is difficult to decipher. But it is only through careful scrutiny that the face of a bearded man, with the Sanskrit symbol adorning his forehead, becomes visible. |
Bibliographic reference | Christoph Grunberg, ed. Summer of Love: Art of the Psychedelic Era London: Tate, 2005. 239 p. : ill. (some col.) ISBN: 1854375954. |
Other numbers |
|
Collection | |
Accession number | E.530-2004 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | February 3, 2005 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON