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The worlds of jazz music and visual art have long been entwined. From Mondrian to Matisse, Pollock to Basquiat, many artists have been enchanted by this concoction of rhythm, improvisation and energy. The Montreux Jazz Festival has been at the heart of this alliance since 1967 – when Miles Davis, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald ruled the airwaves and concert halls – by offering artists carte blanche over the creation of its official poster.
For the 57th Montreux Jazz Festival, which will run from 30 June - 15 July 2023, French artist Guillaume Grando, (aka SupaKitch) has designed a mesmerising ode to Lake Geneva, an intrinsic symbol of the Montreux Jazz Festival. His poster captures the night-time ripples of the lake, gleaming with light from the festival’s bustling waterfront, with typography in a distorted dance on the water's surface.
Guillaume Grando pictured with the original painting, created using superimposed layers of resin, which will be exhibited during the 57th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival
As Grando said of his design: 'The unique characteristic of Lake Geneva, which I had the chance to admire during a visit to the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2018, lies in its blue-green shades. I tried to reproduce these aquatic tones with a gradient towards black that evokes the nightlife of the Festival.'
Grando's original painting, created using superimposed layers of resin, will be exhibited during the 57th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival.
A history of Montreux Jazz Festival posters since 1967
Early years saw icons of 20th-century art leave their mark (although it was a notably male line-up). Among them were Milton Glaser, Shigeo Fukuda, and Max Bill. Keith Haring produced a trio of posters in 1983 and another in collaboration with Andy Warhol three years later. In 1995 David Bowie stepped up to the plate.
More recently – as the festival has broadened its musical remit to the likes Muse, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, Adele, Lady Gaga – it has welcomed contemporary art takeovers from John Armleder, Julian Opie, Sylvie Fleury, Christian Marclay, JR and Camille Walala.
1968: Roger Bornand
Roger Bornand
Eric Wondergern
1983: Keith Haring
Keith Haring's1983 Montreux Jazz Festival posters (yellow, pink, green)
1988: Nicola de Maria
Nicola de Maria
1998: Phil Collins
2006: Julian Opie
Julian Opie
John Armleder
2014: Yoann Lemoine (Woodkid)
Yoann Lemoine (Woodkid)
2015: Sylvie Fleury
Sylvie Fleury
2018: Christian Marclay
Christian Marclay
2022: Camille Walala
Camille Walala
The 57th Montreux Jazz Festival will take place from 30 June - 15 July 2023. montreuxjazzfestival.com