1990 New Orleans Jazz Fest Kid Sheik Poster — Double-Signed Special Edition 414/500, Louise Mouton

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Official 1990 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival limited-edition poster by Louisiana artist Louise Mouton, honoring legendary New Orleans jazz … Read more Official 1990 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival limited-edition poster by Louisiana artist Louise Mouton, honoring legendary New Orleans jazz trumpeter George “Kid Sheik” Colar.
This example is from the scarce hand-numbered edition of 500 and is numbered 414/500. It is particularly desirable for its multiple signatures: Louise Mouton has signed the poster in pencil, and Kid Sheik himself has also signed the poster in pencil beneath the image. Mouton’s signature additionally appears within the artwork. The lower margin bears the embossed ProCreations publisher mark.

Mouton’s composition is more than a graphic celebration of New Orleans jazz; its individual elements tell a story. The banner of musical notes running diagonally across the image reproduces the chorus of “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans,” the beloved song that became an enduring musical evocation of the city. Above it, Mouton created a collage recalling an earlier era of New Orleans music and culture, incorporating imagery from the days of 78 rpm records alongside fragments of distinctive New Orleans architecture.

Below the musical banner is Kid Sheik, who was 88 years old when the poster was released in 1990. His inclusion connects the contemporary Jazz & Heritage Festival directly to a much earlier generation of New Orleans jazz: his trumpet-playing career traced the arc of the music across much of the 20th century, reaching back toward jazz's formative years. His personal signature on this example gives the poster an especially tangible connection to the musical history it commemorates.

Rendered in Mouton’s bold graphic vocabulary of deep blue, turquoise, orange, red, black and cream, the poster combines portraiture, musical history, architecture and vintage recording imagery into a striking piece of late-20th-century New Orleans graphic art.

The poster comes from a private New Orleans family collection assembled by a New Orleans native and longtime Jazz Fest attendee, who acquired festival posters at the time and preserved a collection spanning the 1970s through 1990. It has remained professionally framed under glass and displays beautifully, with strong, vivid color and no observed fading, tears or significant damage.

Presented in its existing white frame with a deep turquoise mat and narrow coordinating accent borders. The framing beautifully echoes the palette of the artwork and gives this large, colorful poster substantial presence when displayed. See less