Big Brother and the Holding Company Handbill
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Complexity screamed from this Conklin work of art. No turn was unstoned on the poster, each letter and random sketch turned into something else at this Fillmore West concert. Featured artists Big Brother & the Holding Co., Richie Havens, Sly and the Family Stone and the Jeff Beck Group performed at two different, three-night runs.
The handbill measures 4 5/8" x 7 1/8" and displays a calendar of upcoming Bill Graham events on the reverse. It was printed before the concert.
There were also some pre-concert double-sized mailers printed that were conjoined with the BG130 image (see BG129/130). They measure 4 5/8" x 14 3/8".
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.