Background
David Singer was a prolific poster artist during the height of the psychedelic era in San
Francisco, producing more posters for promoter Bill Graham than any other artist. According
to the biography at Wolfgang's Vault, "Singer grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where
he was exposed to antiques and folk art. Another influence on his work was his childhood
interest in geometric forms. Although Singer had little formal training in art, his polished
presentation and prodigious output made him one of the most respected poster artists
emerging from San Francisco in the 1960s. Initially uninterested in making posters, Singer
assembled a portfolio of collages that he envisioned as 'greeting cards or something.' His
work was rejected by most of the publishers in San Francisco but gained immediate interest
from Bill Graham, the dance-concert promoter at the Fillmore Auditorium. During his Fillmore
era, from 1969-1971, Singer created more posters for Graham than any other artist, most
notably the double-size final poster evoking the Fillmore experience.
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