RARE Jon Stevens Silver People ArtExpo Promotional Poster dated 1982. Entitled “Flying Victory,” it measures approximately 23” wide x 25” high framed under glass in black wood with silver highlights. Condition is very good with light scuffing to the frame as expected from age, but no major damage.
Jon Stevens has been described as a "total artist', painter-photographer, musician-composer, writer, choreographer and poet." For 25 years he was owner and curator of The SILVER PEOPLE Gallery located near the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Stevens was best known for his SILVER PEOPLE – people he painted from head to toe in silver then photographed in his New York studio and in exotic locations. He created and choreographed the SILVER PEOPLE BALLET with dancers from the New York City Ballet and the Twyla Tharp Dance Company. A former fashion model, Stevens studied painting with Dali who commissioned Stevens to appear as his special guest artist/protégé and create a performance-photograph with the SILVER PEOPLE.
Jon Stevens was the first model in the 60's to represent the `British Mod" look in the U.S. and Europe. He is the man on the cover of The Who’s seminal rock opera album, TOMMY.
Artistically, he was a protégé of Salvador Dali, who searched for Jon Stevens after seeing him in an ad in Newsweek Magazine. Jon posed for a series of paintings by Dali. For Dali's 1974 opening in Knoedler Gallery in NYC, (Dali’s last attended opening in the US), Jon Stevens, as special guest artist / protégé created a performance portrait photographing Salvador Dali with The SILVER PEOPLE.
His work is considered Avant Garde, Hyperrealism and Metaphysical Art and he considered the human body as the most perfect canvas in the world.
There is a wonderful video on YouTube capturing Jon and his models from the 1982 ArtExpo where I am assuming this rare promotional poster was distributed.
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