NONFICTION

Art of the Dead: A Celebration of the Artists Behind the American Rock Poster Movement

by Philip Cushway
Soft Skull. 2012. 208p. ed. by . illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781593765026. $45. GRAPHIC ART
COPY ISBN
Attempts to approach the cultural force that was (and is) the Grateful Dead as simply a musical phenomenon miss the point. The Dead represented a particular way of life, and their audience's devotion to them spilled into dozens of areas, influencing attitudes, dress, habits, and ideas that transcended the music itself. Here, rock poster collector Cushway chronicles the poster art that came out of the Bay Area in the 1960s as graphic designers collaborated with the Grateful Dead to create some of the most innovative and visually arresting images of the period. The book features commentary from many of the poster artists themselves as well as rock critic Greil Marcus, actor and writer Peter Coyote, and members of the Grateful Dead.
VERDICT A striking book that will be of passing interest to all fans of graphic design, this is especially useful as a unique and valuable reference to a vibrant, short-lived form of expression. This era of poster art is sure to be of interest to cultural and art historians and critics for years to come.
Reviewed by Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY , Apr 01, 2013
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