About this poster

The image is very special to me. It was created in 1999, which was such a great time to be making poster art. There was still a fairly limited fan base for this type of art, relatively speaking. There were a handful of artists in different regions doing this type of art, and none of us were really making any serious money. So there was a real 'art for arts sake' kind of feeling that was evident in everyone's work.

I've always has an obsession with The Beatles. Yes, I love the music, but I'm more fascinated with the entire 'cult of personality' around these guys. They were the first band in rock-and-roll where each member (even the drummer) had a significant fan following. They were a modern gang of mythos... deities of pop culture.

Where does 'real life' stop and this glamorized persona that the general public creates begin? We, the public, forcibly 'adopt' these people, and we create an aura around them that works for us. Pop Culture is our religion... and these are our gods. I find it deliciously entertaining to screw with this culture we've built, these visual trademarks we've registered. We are initially attracted to these people because they are so beautiful and can make and do things so beyond our daily reach. But, we fall in love with them when we discover that, amidst all of their otherworldly talent, they are very flawed. Just like us. They can be the same pathetic 'monsters' that we all are, from time to time.

Perhaps it was this juxtaposition that made this image a successful one. Or maybe it was the sheer absurdity of it. Whatever the reason, I loved it. It was actually the first of several images based on the same theme that I released over the next decade, under the title 'Polluted Culture.' In a very real sense, this image could be called a prologue to those later images.

The original Chemical Brothers print on which this image was used measured around 24 x 17 inches and was only 5 or 6 colors. At the time, this was all I could afford, as I was being paid very little money from the promoter of the event. I always felt the image suffered from these deficiencies. Now, through an arrangement with the fine people at NOWhere Limited, I'm able to present the image to you in the way I originally intended. There are 10 shades of color in this screen print, and it measures an attractive 30 x 20 inches. I've added a bit to the imagery, color-wise and in the background. I have not altered the original line-art. I remember lying on the floor of my small Montrose apartment in Houston, Texas and drawing the artwork while looking at an image of the boys, dressed in the whole marching band get-up, for source material. I never intended to do a line-by-line rendition of the image: not at all. Just enough to drive home an idea. And then systematically jack it up. I think it turned out OK. - JR

Art print featuring similar design as The Chemical Brothers Austin 99 poster.