Beatles Peace, 1967/2021 – NFT – A/P 2/14

– Beatles Peace, 1967/2021
– Digital NFT
– Artists Proof Edition – 2/14

– On behalf of Venice Modern Art, ViCA is proud to present this NFT Edition of Beatles art limited to only 50 + 14 A/P (Artist Proofs) to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles in 2014 when the magnificent print struck by Johnny Brower was unveiled, and the total of 64 to honor the year the Beatles began. Artist Proofs will be minted and held in our collections.

– This magnificent “Beatles Peace” NFT is struck from the only authorized hi- resolution digital capture of the original work. The story begins in February 1967 when the Beatles were asked by publicist Derek Taylor and art director Tom Wilkes to purchase the first full page ad in the Monterey International Pop Festival program for $1,500. The ‘Fab Four’ complied with this spiritual piece of art, which was fashioned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in London during recording sessions for what would become the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album.

– In 2013 a single unique print was authorized by the Tom Wilkes estate, to John Brower, longtime friend of Mr. Wilkes. The gorgeous print was first unveiled during the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2013 at The Hard Rock Café, where hundreds in attendance lined up for hours to have their pictures taken with this magnificent work. Over 700,000 social media impressions of these pictures were shared over the coming months. The work traveled first to Sundance thence to Beverly Hills for the Gibson Celebrates The Beatles 50th Anniversary VIP event at the Gibson Studios, which was filmed and is publicly available online.

– The original artwork is a felt marker, colored pencil and ink composition. Below the “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club” lines, John also wrote the word “Beatles”, followed by a heart with an arrow through it, and the word “you.” The obvious message there being “Beatles love you.” John is also primarily responsible for the intricate psychedelic artwork on the right side of the poster. That area features one large head evocative of the Hindu god Krishna. Contained within that drawing — among many other things — are the heads of the four Beatles with green faces and their new mustached look.

– This historic work speaks of many things including ‘Peace To Monterey From Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’, the timely prediction that ‘It Happened in Monterey a Long Time Ago’. Also quite interesting is the curious salutation: ‘Sincerely John, Paul, George and Harold, and ‘Congratulations Elvis, Say Hello to Uncle Stan’ (aka Uncle Sam; Elvis had been recently drafted into the US Army), and ‘How are you Bob’ (Dylan) in John’s hand. It also includes intriguing self portraits of each of the band members and what appears to be a second set at the top illustrated with two ghost-like images.

– The history behind the piece and the time period in which it was done captured the zeitgeist of 1960s popular culture, when “peace and love” was the overwhelmingly positive message of the day.

– Beatles Peace, 1967/2013
– Archival Digital Unique Print Framed
– 40” x 60” inches
– $50,000.00
– Available from Venice Modern Art

– Literature:
– ‘Fifty Years Adift’ (1984) by Derek Taylor
– Beatles ‘ANTHOLOGY’ (2000) by Apple Corps

Collection: The ViCA Collection

OpenSea Page

Telegram channel