Posters from the Past
I’ve stated before that it is of my opinion that in order for minimalist art to be good, it has to be witty. Minimalist art based on reinterpretations of the source material often have elements in which logic plays a role of the final piece. Where the artist only takes the absolute most fundamental features of the source, and fits them together in a way much like a puzzle. This gives the viewer something to look at and play with in their minds. That’s good art. To achieve so much with so little, that’s the appeal, that’s the challenge.
One master of this craft is Olly Moss. It’s funny cause even his webpage is totally stripped down as well. His works of minimalist art first appeared on t-shirts, and then quickly made waves into the movie poster scene. Here are some early works:
Soon after, Moss was commissioned to produce a trio set for probably the Holy Grail of all SciFi trilogies, Star Wars:
“It was so intimidating! There is such a wealth of great Star Wars art out there already, from paid professionals and from enthusiastic fans. I suppose my main aim was to make a set of Star Wars posters that were a little different from what people are used to seeing from the franchise, but still retained that essential Star Wars feel. I started by re-watching the original movies with a sketchbook on my lap, and just sort of went from there. If you’re as big a nerd as I am, you just can’t say no to Star Wars.”- Olly Moss
“Stars Wars Set” was released by Mondo on December 20, 2010 and cost $150 for the set. Talk about a Christmas gift for yourself. Who knows how many Star Wars fans scrimped on their kids Christmas gifts just so they can own a piece of classic art here. Each print measured 24″ x 36″ Screenprint, with an edition size of 400 each. This print set was an instant hit right out of the gate and the print sold out online in seconds.
People not lucky enough to get these prints on the first drop ended up buying them in huge droves on the secondary market on eBay. Well over 45 sets sold on eBay the same day of the initial drop with prices ranging from $350-$925. And it just climbed further from there. The last recorded sell of this set on eBay sold for $2,225 on September 20th, 2011. This set, much like the movie, touched a nerve with viewers. Old fans came in droves, new fans were made, and another poster classic is in the books.
***Important! Keep an eye on his twitter feed for the next week or more. He is planning a “Christmas Sale” which will possibly include some “Star Wars” sets! He’ll announce when the sale will happen there. Good Luck!
"Star Wars" by Olly Moss. 24" x 36" Screenprint. Ed of 400. $150 for set
"Empire Strikes Back" by Olly Moss. 24" x 36" Screenprint. Ed of 400. $150 for set
"Revenge of the Jedi" by Olly Moss. 24" x 36" Screenprint. Ed of 400. $150 for set
