Grateful Dead Handbill
Image may not exactly match item shipped.
Artist Conklin restrained himself to a vaguely classical reference on this garish della Robia wreath of flowers, milky breasts and entangled bodies with the New Year's babe emerging from the Dead's mascot. The 1969 New Year's Eve concert, featuring perennial performers the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, It's A Beautiful Day and Santana, was held at Winterland.
The handbill measures 4 5/8" x 7" and displays a calendar of upcoming Bill Graham events on the reverse. It was printed before the concert.
There were also some pre-concert mailers printed that were conjoined with the BG153 image (see BG152/153). They measure 7" x 9 1/4".
Lee Conklin's early influences were pen and ink masters Heinrich Kley and Saul Steinberg.After seeing articles featuring Wes Wilson's poster art, Conklin was inspired to visit San Francisco and show his art to Bill Graham. Conklin was soon commissioned to do posters and produced 31 original designs for the Fillmore between 1968 and 1969. Conklin rendered both graphics and calligraphy in intricate detail. What began as a personal challenge to disguise images within images and lettering soon turned into a concerted effort to turn every single letter and figure into another form, stretching the imagination to new limits.