Posted 7 years ago
katherines…
(247 items)
So here is an unusual work of art, and I don't know what to make of it. Those of you who were around in the 60s remember psychedelic art, or possibly you don't since as they say if you remember the 60s you weren't there, lol. In any case, the coloration, distorted lettering, and imagery, not to mention the iconic name of the hippest locale in the 60s, Haight Ashbury San Francisco, all seem to place this work square in the midst of the era of peace, love, and all the rest. It's painted in both watercolors (lettering) and acrylics (mushroom), on the inner paper sleeve of a record album (remember those?). The actual cover of the record album was inside the paper sleeve, it's a Joni Mitchell album from the early 70s. Signed Lindsey Martins with some numbers, could be the owner of the album, could be the owner of the painting, could be the artist. In a contemporary frame. So it's a sort of cultural jumble. Any ideas, theories, Tarot card readings, welcome. Thanks for looking. :)
I'm confused. Do you have both a painting and an album cover ?
It's a scary painting, sexual too (to me lol), so perfect for the era.
My auras are saying yeah babe, 60s!!
Thanks for the love, Caperkid, and vetraio50. :)
Karen, it is totally 60s, my guess is whoever did it was rocking the shrooms, lol. :P
RCassano, sorry if my explanation wasn't clear. So I bought this painting, then when I opened the back of the frame to see who signed it, I realize it had been painted on the paper inner sleeve of a record album, and inside that paper sleeve was a cover from a Joni Mitchell record album. Don't know how old you are but back in the day vinyl records came inside a protective paper sleeve that was inside a cardboard record album cover. I have no idea why this artist chose to use this sleeve as their canvas, but there it is. I also don't know if the paper sleeve and the record album belong together or the two were separate pieces of two different albums. I don't know if the writing on the back means that person did that painting, or bought the painting, in 2009. The whole thing is a mystery. Anyway to answer your question, yes. ;)
Pretty painting colors and truly psychedelic, middle image looks like a root with a mushroom cap on top, maybe the symbolism is that Haight Ashbury was the root of the hippie movement & drug culture?
Ok, I've got it now. I was around back then, though in my early teens. The 70's was my decade.
I've done a good deal of collecting and flipping of vinyl, but mostly 45's. The right vinyl can bring a good price. Joni's double album you have there doesn't have a very high demand. Her 45 single "Big Yellow Taxi" from that album would. Generally, there wouldn't be any way to tell if the inner sleeve matches the outer jacket. Very rarely, the inner sleeve would contain artwork or production data.
I don't know - my guess is maybe the album jacket might have been used to firm up the painting ? The theme of the painting does seem to resonate the mantra at that time: "sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll" with the mushroom having a phallic reference.
The name might have been the artist and it might have been done in 2009, but perhaps Lindsey never went on to be an accomplished painter. It is pretty reminiscent, though. Nice piece.
Thanks for the love, TassieDevil, Newfld, mikelv85, RCassano, and LovelyPat. :)
Newfld, thank you for your thoughts, your interpretation works for me. :)
RCassano, thank you for sharing that information re record albums, yeah, don't think there's much value in the record album cover and I agree it was probably used for stiffening, the painting is the thing. As I posted earlier, not sure why the artist chose to use the paper sleeve for the canvas, this is a rather intricate work of art, the multi color watercolor tie-dyed background applied first, then the lettering in a complex design, then the painting of the mushroom. A well executed work of art very much of the times. 60s folk art, I would call it.
Farout!