Woodstock Festival 1969 Original Location Poster by David Byrd (AOR-3.2). ...

Description

Woodstock Festival 1969 Original Location Poster by David Byrd (AOR-3.2). An original first-printing poster from the summer of 1969 for the famous Woodstock three-day music festival in Wallkill, New York before it was moved 45 miles west to Bethel (White Lake). This beautiful poster was created by the esteemed David Byrd, who we just lost earlier this year.

Byrd's design was much more intricate and sophisticated than the red poster which was eventually used for the final location. None of the musicians are given, but the luscious artwork more closely matched the "Music & Art Fair" theme of the festival.

It's interesting to note how Byrd's original design went completely for the "art fair" ethos of Woodstock, whereas Arnold Skolnick's red replacement poster emphasized the music by listing all the bands and musicians. Byrd used just 16 words but gorgeous stained-glass-window artwork to get his message across; Skolnick used hundreds of words and simple, childlike artwork. They both are very compelling in their own way, and it's nice that collectors can line up behind whichever one they prefer - or both.

Made on glossy cardstock, this poster measures 13 1/2" x 22 3/8" and has been graded to Very Good condition. Poster has several instances of light surface creasing, breaking color in the poster's bottom center running through the "1" in "15." There's also a slight crescent-moon color break in the extreme lower right corner. A few surface blemishes are present, but most get lost in the poster's very busy artwork. The verso has tape lifts in all four corners, and a dark stain on the upper left edge. COA from Heritage Auctions.

Literature: See Grushkin, Paul, The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk, Abbeville Press, New York, 1987, p.257 (illus.).

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