The Opening of Music Hall 1878

The iconic re-appropriation of the 1st marketing image of what Cincinnati's Music Hall was to look like on opening day 144 years ago. In 2011, AVS & graphic artist Nicki Upson began working on recoloring the image. The prints inspired the concept of Lumenocity, the precursor to BLINK light festival. 

I wanted to take the old sepia tone brownish image and add some punk rock attitude and color. Making the  Taylor-Davidson statue pink was a tribute to England's Sex Pistols. The image has so much going on. It's psychedelic. Can you spot the "Vincent Van Gogh time traveler"  easter egg.

In 2013, AVS finally was offered the right image to create yet another re-appropriation of the legendary Suspension Bridge designed by John Roebling.  Top P&G Executive and Art collector Steve Schueler had a copy of the lithograph gifted to local citizens who could afford the 25 cent price tag. The person was Schueler'