Introducing a new collaborative poster series by myself and the legendary '90s photographer Karen Mason-Blair, celebrating our deep roots and paying homage to the early '90s Seattle music scene. We're re-envisioning some of Karen's most iconic captures of local musicians before they ascended to global stardom... our “Loud Gods”
"Kurt, can you smile?" "You always say that." "Yes, but you always like my photos!"
Karen Mason Blair is the photographer who Kurt Cobain would smile for; they were friends.
When I started crafting my artistic vision of Karen’s photo of Kurt Cobain rocking his iconic white sunglasses, an idea struck me like lightning. Those shades took me back to the legendary psychedelic 60s poster by Victor Moscoso for the Chamber Brothers. We decided to add text to those iconic glasses to perfectly capture Cobain’s rebellious spirit. What better phrase than “Whatever, Nevermind” from “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to encapsulate his ethos?
Cobain's brilliance was in mixing heavy, distorted riffs with catchy pop hooks, layered with a thick coat of sarcastic Gen X punk rock attitude. This vibe is perfectly encapsulated in the intro of Nirvana’s "Territorial Pissings," where the sardonically sung lines, “Come on people now, Smile on Your Brother! Everybody Get Together, Try to Love One Another Right Noooooow!” explode into a punk rock anthem of angst and blistering guitars. These lines from the 1960s song "Get Together" are given a whole new meaning.
Presenting Kurt in a psychedelic style poster is the perfect blend of punk sarcasm and 60s nostalgia that he would have absolutely loved—extreme irony at its finest. His playful nature is further highlighted in the lyric "Here We Are Now, Entertain Us," which embodies the spirit of Bacchus in our ongoing series, LOUD GODS. Kurt was truly a modern-day Bacchus, the god of fertility and revelry.
We hope you groove with this work as much as Karen and I did while bringing it to life. Feel the good vibes and let the spirit of Kurt radiate through this poster.
Size: 18"x 24"
Type: Six Color Screen Print on 100 lb Holographic Rainbow Foil paper
Markings: Signed & Numbered by Justin Hampton & Karen Mason-Blair. JH Logo Embossed