David Byrd: A Retrospective

The Rolling Stones. The Grateful Dead. Jimi Hendrix. Jefferson Airplane. Stephen Sondheim. Stephen Schwartz. Alan Menken and Andrew Lloyd Webber are just some of the rock ‘n roll and musical theater greats for which David Byrd has designed posters over the years. With a career spanning more than four decades, Byrd’s work is firmly entrenched in our visual culture. Who doesn't recognize the famous “Follies” poster (the original is owned by The Smithsonian) or the Jimi Hendrix Experience poster, ranked by Billboard as the 8th best rock concert poster of all time! Other Byrd gems include the original poster for the Broadway shows "Godspell" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" and the movie poster for the John Schlesinger film "The Day Of The Locust" as well as works with Warner Brothers on characters like Bugs and Daffy. 

In 2007 Byrd was honored by the prestigious Ringling School of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida. David continues to reside in Los Angeles with Bessera—a noted mosaic tile artist--who has remained his companion for 28 years. Both were prominently featured in a recent Los Angeles Times Home section cover story about their unique, colorful and artsy, Spanish-style Silverlake area home.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website