Martin Sharp
Pop Artist, Cartoonist, Songwriter
Martin Sharp was one of the most significant artists during the sixties, he was an innovator of psychedelic art, he designed a number of iconic posters and album covers which graced the walls and record collections of anyone who claimed to be ‘cool’. Sharp was a the art director of 'Oz', a controversial anti-establishment magazine who went against the grain. "Oz Defined the counterculture scene and it's values" - (Blaney, J. 2005 P.74).
"Oz was, in Martin's words, against "ignorance, intolerance and corruption"" -(Rowe. M 2013).
Martin Sharp had a distinctive toothy smile, which soon became a symbol of Oz. - (Thomas, A. 2012. p.155).
Martin Sharp developed many colourful pieces, under his psychedelic eye, Oz's layout grew increasingly difficult to read, it wasn't as much about what it said, but how it was said was important. (Blaney, J. 2005 P.74). Sharp's work is a generational time machine, delivering more of a message in a single viewing than hours of documentaries. Many say Martin Sharp's work defines the 60's.
"Want to know what the 60s were like? Then look at Martin Sharp’s work. .... Everybody who can remember anything about the 60s can remember Martin's poster of Dylan as Mr Tambourine Man, printed in red and black on gold paper" (Greer, 2009).
Bob Dylans quaint though powerful folk song - Blowing in the Wind - was transformed into this psychedelic visual explosion of Blowing in the Mind. It looks and feels exactly how I would believe the 60's are descibed.
For this poster, Sharp drew inspiration from the musician’s signature curly hair. Radiating circular motifs imitate the curls and also borrow from Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut, seen nearby. Just above Dylan’s forehead and scattered throughout, Sharp inserts the knot patterns that Dürer created in the early 16th century. (Hewitt, C. 2009).
The Great Refusal at The Hayward Gallery Space from MRB on Vimeo. Video, 1 min 51 sec. Visual record of the exhibition hanging, with commentary.
Sharp's Blowing in the mind poster places the bomb and fear of an ending to the human race squarely in the middle of the so-called Summer of Love, connecting two major forces for change, war and peace, portraying a clear, powerful political message. "His drawings - electric, eclectic, acid, cynical and mystic - have a staggering intensity put over in an almost insultingly casual style" (Keen, Graham, and La Rue. 19970. P.80).
Sharp's work of Dylan was one of the most iconic posters of the Sixties.
I believe Martin Sharp was the main reason for the success of Oz and Blowing in the mind was the most powerful rock poster out of the sixties. I love how Martin Sharp designed this poster and how relevant it was in the 60's. The story behind this image is outstanding and shows how much thought and process that went into Sharp's Big O Posters, that they wasn't controversial for no reason.
Sharp doubts he'll get around to reworking his Dylan image, although he'd like to fix the lettering so "Mr Tambourine Man" can't be misread as "Mr Urine Man" (Morgan 2012).
Reference:
Blaney, J. 2005. John Lennon: Listen to this book. Great Britain: Biddles Ltd.
Blowing in the Mind poster, in The Great Refusal, Protesting 1948-84 exhibition, Hayward Gallery, London, November 2013. Video here: http://vimeo.com/77061467.
Greer, G. 2009. Want to know what the 60s were like? Then look at Martin Sharp’s work, [ONLNE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/nov/22/germaine-greer-martin-sharp. [Accessed 22 October 2018].
Hewitt, C. 2009. Poster, Blowing in the Mind [ONLINE] https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18731757/ [Accessed 22 October 2018]
Keen, Graham, and La Rue, Michael, Underground Graphics, Academy Editions, London, 1970,
Marsha, R. 2013. Martin Sharp obituary. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/dec/06/martin-sharp. [Accessed 22 October 2018].
Morgan, J. 2012. Interview: Martin Sharp, Sydney Morning Herald. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/interview-martin-sharp-20120531-1zjo7.html. [Accessed 22 October 2018]
Sharp. M. Mister tambourine man...Blowing in the mind 1968 [POSTER], National Gallery of Australia, available URL: http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=80851.
Sharp, M. Oz magazine., Sydney., Issue no. 25. January, 1966. [POSTER] https://recollection.com.au/collections/oz-magazine
Thomas, A. 2012. My generation. Australia: Media21 Publishing Pty Limited
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