Leon, Eli
1968

Unreleased fish-eye birds-eye view poster 1968 California Berkeley Centennial

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Visit University of California Berkeley 1868 - 1968 Centennial

DESCRIPTION: SOLD

Very rare and extremely fine 60's-era poster view of the campanile and campus of the University of California Berkeley, a dizzying birds-eye view taken with a fish-eye lens. This masterful poster was designed by Eli Leon and printed in 1968 for the centennial of Berkeley's founding. According to the Oakland Museum of California's web site, who owns the only other known copy of this poster:

"According to the artist, this poster was commissioned by U.C. Berkeley but never released. [LMC] [1]"

Robert Stanley Leon (1935-2018) was best known as a collector of African American quilts, but is credited with the creation of this rare poster despite having no known training in the visual arts.

"Eli Leon was an Oakland-based collector, scholar, and champion of African American quiltmakers whose gift of nearly 3,000 quilts to BAMPFA [UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive] has made possible an inspiring future of scholarship and presentation here in Berkeley. In addition to collecting artwork, Leon also compiled a massive–and unruly–collection of raw materials and textiles." [2]

Sources:

[1] Eli Leon ~ artist. 2022. Online: http://collections.museumca.org/?q=collection-item/201054808
[2] BAMPFA. From the Estate of Eli Leon: Textile Improvisations. Online: "https://bampfa.org/event/estate-eli-leon-textile-improvisations

CREATOR: Leon, Eli

PUBLICATION DATE: 1968

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States

BODY OF WATER: N/A

CONDITION: Excellent. As good as can possibly be expected for a poster from this era. Stunning.

COLORING: Offset lithograph. Turquoise background with orange text

ENGRAVER:

SIZE: 15 " x 22 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 87

PRICE: $

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