Proud Mary
Limited Edition 36"x24"
The 1997 Essence Music Festival posters for Proud Mary represent a rare cultural artifact. Only one thousand were produced, each signed by the artist and gifted to attendees, performers, and speakers at the landmark event. Their distribution to festival guests and cultural figures such as Patti LaBelle, Kenny G, Chris Rock, Ashford & Simpson, Erykah Badu, and Frankie Beverly, along with seminar leaders including Maxine Waters and Johnnie Cochran, affirms the painting’s place within both artistic and civic history.
These posters extended the legacy of Proud Mary beyond the original canvas, securing its presence in the collective memory of New Orleans and in the national celebration of Black culture. In 1998, Proud Mary was printed as part of the Playing for Tips series (5 x 7 inches) and has remained available in the marketplace for more than twenty‑eight years, underscoring its continued relevance and enduring appeal.