Celebrating Woodstock through film and memory
Forty years later, on August 16,these three days of peace, music and art reminds many of how musicians and artists can make a difference.
Julie Keselman
Issue date: 8/28/09 Section: Viva
farm, a line-up that every classic rock fan would die for, plenty of LSD and not enough shampoo for everyone - this is the Woodstock Music and Art Fair of 1969.
Forty years later, this legendary festival is still being celebrated as a utopian moment in history, one that influenced the music scene as we know it.
Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, ACL - think of these as Woodstock's children.
When one thinks of Woodstock, they probably think of the legendary performances of Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby, Stills or Nash & Young, to name the most famous. Or perhaps you are like me and you think of Emile Hirsch, who stars in "Taking Woodstock" along with other people who aren't as attractive.
Point being, it's easy to forget that Woodstock was also an art festival.
But while the art of Woodstock played a backstage role to the music, the graphics shouldn't go unnoted - in particular, the promotional poster for the legendary 1969 festival designed by Arnold Skolnick.
According to the website wwd.com, which covers Woodstock, Skolnick intentionally veered from the typical promotional art of the time, which was heavily influenced by Surrealism and recreational drugs - more formally known as "psychadelic work."
As Skolnick explained, "After a while, everything psychadelic starts to look alike, so I did something a little different for Woodstock."
Rather than the swirling shapes and vivid hues that probably adorn some of our dorm rooms (but hopefully not our minds), he opted for flat, simple, powerful colors and clean contours that lend the image its staying power. His design is graphically succinct and presents a more subdued and peaceful message - a white bird perched on a guitar. The final product was a simple yet complete image that was a perfect embodiment of Woodstock's premise, as Newswire Today states: "peaceful, three days long, and a lot of music." It was a straightforward poster that invited everyone to be with everyone.
In a culture where MP3s prevail and kids pride themselves on knowing what's cool before it's cool, these festivals remind us of what it's like to share music and to enjoy it collectively rather than competitively. While the notorious stench of Woodstock has lifted and some argue that the old magic can never be recreated, the tangible nostalgia for free love and free music lingers. So cheers to Artie Kornfield, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman and Michael Lang for producing the festival, to Arnold Skolnick for the invitation and to the chaotic, teeming unwashed masses who attended - for reminding us that music is a common denominator. Oh, and thanks to Max Yasgur for lending them your hog farm.
Forty years later, this legendary festival is still being celebrated as a utopian moment in history, one that influenced the music scene as we know it.
Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, ACL - think of these as Woodstock's children.
When one thinks of Woodstock, they probably think of the legendary performances of Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby, Stills or Nash & Young, to name the most famous. Or perhaps you are like me and you think of Emile Hirsch, who stars in "Taking Woodstock" along with other people who aren't as attractive.
Point being, it's easy to forget that Woodstock was also an art festival.
But while the art of Woodstock played a backstage role to the music, the graphics shouldn't go unnoted - in particular, the promotional poster for the legendary 1969 festival designed by Arnold Skolnick.
According to the website wwd.com, which covers Woodstock, Skolnick intentionally veered from the typical promotional art of the time, which was heavily influenced by Surrealism and recreational drugs - more formally known as "psychadelic work."
As Skolnick explained, "After a while, everything psychadelic starts to look alike, so I did something a little different for Woodstock."
Rather than the swirling shapes and vivid hues that probably adorn some of our dorm rooms (but hopefully not our minds), he opted for flat, simple, powerful colors and clean contours that lend the image its staying power. His design is graphically succinct and presents a more subdued and peaceful message - a white bird perched on a guitar. The final product was a simple yet complete image that was a perfect embodiment of Woodstock's premise, as Newswire Today states: "peaceful, three days long, and a lot of music." It was a straightforward poster that invited everyone to be with everyone.
In a culture where MP3s prevail and kids pride themselves on knowing what's cool before it's cool, these festivals remind us of what it's like to share music and to enjoy it collectively rather than competitively. While the notorious stench of Woodstock has lifted and some argue that the old magic can never be recreated, the tangible nostalgia for free love and free music lingers. So cheers to Artie Kornfield, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman and Michael Lang for producing the festival, to Arnold Skolnick for the invitation and to the chaotic, teeming unwashed masses who attended - for reminding us that music is a common denominator. Oh, and thanks to Max Yasgur for lending them your hog farm.
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