Love Poster
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Balance rules this poster, not only in the geometry of the rectangles but in the ying-yang symbol solemnly presented by Wilson's maiden. All roads converge on, or perhaps emanate from, the all-seeing eye, and Moby Grape was in its heyday.
The 1st printing A poster is identified by its pure yellow background and blue inking. The word "Love" is in white, and although there is some inking variation throughout this run, presumably as a result of the "Monday/Friday phenomenon" all posters displaying a yellow background are considered 1st printing A posters. It was printed before the concert and measures 14" x 23 1/2".
1st printing B (see BG040-1B) displays a light olive green background and blue inking. The word "Love" is in white also, and again there is some variation in terms of ink colors, but these pre-concert posters displaying the olive green background are considered 1st printing B's. It measures 13 15/16" x 23 5/8".
The 2nd printing (see BG040-1B) is of the same olive green background, but this reprint displays the word "Love" in the same green background color instead of the white of the previous printings. Again, there is some inking variation throughout this run. This post-concert reprint was printed on smooth, random patterned stock and measures 14 1/16" x 23 9/16".
The 3rd printing (see BG040-1B) reverts back to the white "Love" variety, and displays a bright chartreuse background. This 1967 reprint retains the "West Coast Lithograph Co., SF" credit of the previous printings in the bottom right hand corner, so the chartreuse color is the primary means of identifying it as a 3rd printing. It measures 14 1/16" x 23 9/16".
The 4th printing is on coated matte stock and has "W 2022" in the lower right-hand margin. It resembles the 1st printing A with a pure yellow background and blue inking. The word "Love" is in white. It was printed in 2022 by Wolfgang's in a 100-copy run. This reprint measures 14" x 22".
When the Avalon Ballroom and Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium began to hold weekly dance concerts, Wilson was called upon to design the posters. He created psychedelic posters from February 1966 to May 1967, when disputes over money severed his connection with Graham. Wilson pioneered the psychedelic rock poster. Intended for a particular audience, "one that was tuned in to the psychedelic experience," his art, and especially the exaggerated freehand lettering, emerged from Wilson's own involvement with that experience and the psychedelic art of light shows.