World’s first official print from this incredible, previously unseen archive of Jimi Hendrix photographs, by Donald Silverstein.
This collaboration features a collection of previously unseen Jimi Hendrix images by renowned portrait photographer Donald Silverstein (1934-75) taken in London in 1967. Incredibly, this is the first time that Jimi Hendrix images from the US-born, London-based photographer’s archives have been printed on fabric anywhere in the world.
Donald Silverstein’s sole session with Jimi Hendrix produced one of the most important and well known photographs of the incendiary guitarist. Jimi stands, looking into camera, his jacket off, his shirt open, revealing a well defined torso. This powerful image originally appeared on a poster issued by Track Records, and has been heavily bootlegged subsequently. Hendrix fans who have seen that original poster will know that the contrast was notched up to 11 by the designer, and as a result it was very difficult to pick out detail. Seeing the photograph as Donald Silverstein took it, with intricate details revealed by the fine grain of the Kodak Verichrome Pan film that he loaded into his Hasselblad for the shoot, is a complete revelation.
Earlier in the session Donald had photographed Jimi Hendrix flanked by Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, for a series of group portraits, one of which would be chosen for the inner gatefold sleeve of the 1 December 1967 UK release of The Experience’s second LP, Axis: Bold as Love, but for the most part, the session was about Jimi.
Because this is one of the most important archives of Jimi Hendrix photographs to be released on the collectors market, we are releasing a select few prints and a few organik rocka twists for collectors around the world.
Read on for details, and, as Jimi would have said, Dig This…
1. A selection of estate authorised limited edition prints
These constitute the backbone of the collaboration. We have been through detailed exercise with the Silverstein family to come up with a selection of images that represent the very best of Donald Silverstein’s session with Jimi Hendrix. The images work individually, on a piece of clothing and would make a welcome addition to any serious collection of important music photography.
These estate authorised photographs are screen printed by one of London’s top specialist black and white hand-printers, from the original negatives. They are offered in black and white options in a choice of physical sizes: which for convenience we are calling S, M, L & XL. There is limited edition of of each print offered to collectors worldwide.
Because Donald Silverstein chose a film renowned for its extremely fine grain and super-high sharpness, the print to fabric is the best it can be without losing detail. These look spectacular, and you can see examples in our shop and on our social.
