Santana Handbill
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The elements were in motion in Conklin's psychedelic seascape advertising Santana and the Youngbloods, and the artist's staid leafy border stood in sharp contrast to the rough seas. BG173 was Conklin's last poster for Bill Graham. Like many of his relationships with artists, the association ended abruptly when Graham cut off contact following a disagreement over payment.
The handbill was printed once before the concert, and it has a calendar of upcoming Bill Graham events on the reverse. It measures 4 5/8" x 7 1/16".
There were also some pre-concert postcard mailers printed that were conjoined with the BG172 image (see BG172/173). 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.