David Singer (American). [Untitled] (Boz Scaggs/Cold Blood…), 1971. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 7/8 x 28 in. (55.6 x 71.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.27. ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com.

The posters were created by a diverse group of talented artists hired by concert promoters Chet Helms and Bill Graham.  The principal designers in the group were Wes Wilson, Victor Moscoso, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley and Rick Griffin, who were often called the “Fillmore Five”.  Some of the artists, such as Moscoso and Bob Fried, had formal art training while others, like Greg Irons and David Singer, were mostly self taught.  A few were natives of San Francisco, many others migrated there.  They were possibly drawn to the artistic climate and the sense of freedom and experimentation that had been emerging in the San Francisco area since the 1950’s.  Bonnie MacLean was the only female artist in the group steadily employed in making posters.

Left: Greg Irons (American). [Untitled] (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), 1969. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 1/8 x 14 in. (53.7 x 35.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.193.  ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com. Right: Bonnie MacLean (American). [Untitled] (The Doors/Chuck Berry), 1967. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 1/16 x 14 in. (53.5 x 35.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.100. ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com.

What these artists had in common was that they attempted to unify, through their art, the ideas and spirit of the counterculture movement of which they were a part.  With the use of florescent color, surreal imagery and, often times, to the uninitiated, illegible text, they vividly captured the heady vibe of the time. This may have been easy for them to accomplish because, it has been said, they were stoned much of the time!  Their imagery often made subtle, and sometimes obvious, reference to the flourishing drug culture.  The loud, vibrating colors in their work also echoed the high-decibel music and light shows which these artists were commissioned to advertise.

Left: Bob Fried (American). [Untitled] (Big Brother and the Holding Co….), 1968. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 7/8 x 13 13/16 in. (55.6 x 35.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.123.  ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com. Right: Lee Conklin (American). [Untitled] (Steppenwolf/Staple Singers/Santana), 1968. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 1/8 x 14 1/8 in. (53.7 x 35.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.133. ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com.

Although each artist developed a very distinct style of expression, you can see various influences in their work, from Early American illustrators, the Vienna Secession and the Art Nouveau style, to comic book art, pop culture and advertising graphics.  They manipulated these forms, used bizarre optical effects and collage, and sometimes photography.  Two of the photographers whose work was incorporated into the poster designs were Herb Greene and Jim Marshall (who was the chief photographer at the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival).  Greene and Marshall are also featured in the current museum exhibition Who Shot Rock & Roll:  A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present.  Check out the blog next week for more on these posters and the artists that created them.  Please also visit the museum’s Contemporary Collection pages to view more posters and the rest of our contemporary collection.

Norman Orr (American). [Untitled] (Poco – Siegal – Schwall), 1970. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 7/8 x 28 in. (55.6 x 71.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.266. ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com.

I thought it was interesting that these were part of our collection so I did some research.  I found that they had been brought into the museum by the museum’s then print curator, Jo Miller.  At the time they were purchased, in 1972, these posters were relatively unknown outside of San Francisco, although there had been an exhibition of Fillmore posters at the Museum of Modern Art around this same time. Since their purchase, almost forty years ago, these posters have never been shown at the Brooklyn Museum.  You can view a few here and a larger selection on the Museum’s contemporary collections pages.

Left: Bonnie MacLean (American). [Untitled] (The Who / Loading Zone), 1967. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 22 x 14 1/16 in. (55.9 x 35.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.70.  ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com. Right: D. Bread (American). [Untitled] (Janis Joplin…), 1969. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 x 14 1/8 in. (53.3 x 35.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.164. ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com.

Between 1966 and 1971 posters were being produced as publicity for dance concerts, or dance parties, at venues such as the Avalon Ballroom and the Fillmore West in San Francisco. These concerts featured loud, live bands, colorful light shows, often poetry readings or performance art, and were mostly fueled by LSD or acid.  These unique events were part of what became known as the psychedelic experience.

Left: Lee Conklin (American). [Untitled] (Buffalo Springfield / Richie Havens / Chambers Brothers), 1968. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 1/8 x 14 in. (53.7 x 35.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.121.  ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com. Right: Bonnie MacLean (American). [Untitled] (Blue Cheer / Vanilla Fudge / Sunshine Co.), 1967. Offset lithograph, Sheet: 21 1/4 x 14 3/16 in. (54 x 36 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund, 73.39.84. ©Bill Graham Archives, LLC, www.Wolfgangsvault.com.

Organized respectively by Chet Helms and Bill Graham, major promoters on the West Coast art and music scene in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, these concerts helped introduce performers that would go on to become legendary Rock Stars, such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath, to name a few.  Amazingly, on these same concert bills were Rhythm and Blues greats such as Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, and veteran Jazz and Blues musicians including Miles Davis and Albert King!  Please stop by next week for more on these posters and the artists that created them.