Image has always been an integral part of Grace Jones’ music career, her visual identity being almost as important as her voice. The artwork for her latest album, Hurricane, designed and art directed by Tom Hingston Studio, knowingly works the conceit of the popstar as visual commodity: in this case featuring life-size versions of Jones made out of chocolate. Here’s how they did it…
Poster from World War Two by Abram Games, Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
As the economy plunges, optimists are clinging to the truism that great creativity comes out of times of recession. A new show at London’s Wellcome Collection links innovation to the hardest times of all – war.
Carabo, 2005 by Benedict Redgrave. Available as a digital c-type print on crystal archive matt paper 40.5 x 51cm in a limited edition of 20 signed by the artist. £381.70
We’ve just heard word that Wallpaper* magazine, in collaboration with art publishers Eyestorm, are to open a pop-up gallery entitled Wallpaper* Selects at London’s swanky St Martins Lane Hotel. The space, which will be open to the public from 10-19 December, will showcase ten works by photographers whose work has appeared in Wallpaper* in recent years: Jonathan de Villiers, Mauricio Alejo, Jonathan Frantini, Christopher Griffith, Stefan Ruiz, Daniel Stier, Benedict Redgrove and Joël Tettamanti.
Publishing house 4th Estate celebrates its 25th anniversary next year and commissioned London’s Apt Studio to mark the occasion with a stop-motion film, This is Where We Live, available to view at 25thestate.com.
Barack Obama poster by Shepard Fairey, nominated for the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2009 in the Graphic Design category by CR’s Patrick Burgoyne
The nominations for the awkwardly titled Brit Insurance Design Awards 2009 have been announced, ahead of an exhibition that will be held at the Design Museum in London from February next year. As with last year’s awards, the inclusion of most aspects of design (including architecture, fashion, furniture, graphic design, interactive, product and transport) makes for an eclectic, but interesting, list.
Graphic art lovers, ahoy! There’s a new pop-up store in town and it’s called KIN. The shop is situated just off London’s Carnaby Street in Kingly Court and is set up like a gallery, full of affordable graphic art, sculpture, clothing, homewares and assorted ephemera, created by a host of illustrators, designers and printmakers such as Swifty, Rose Stallard of Print Club, Si Scott, Steven Wilson, RYCA, PhlAsh (Phil Ashcroft) and many more…
Cliff, Brian May, that kid that won Britain’s Got Talent, step aside. The real star of this year’s Royal Variety Performance is a piece of graphic design…
Make Your Own Xmas, 2008, © Bob and Roberta Smith, Photo: Sam Drake, Tate Photography
This year’s Tate Christmas Tree, which is designed each year by a different artist, is by Bob and Roberta Smith and aptly reflects the ecologically minded times that we now live in. The tree is made from timber, bicycles and lamps, and is interactive, with visitors asked to provide pedal-power to illuminate the tree.
According to Pantone, next year’s colour is Mimosa or, PANTONE® 14-0848, as it’s known to its friends..
Shumeng Ye’s Book of Warriors, in which a pair of Chinese trainers is packaged with a book of photographs, has become a cult hit in Europe. She tells CR how she did it
Daito Manabe, a Japanese artist and programmer suffers for his art in his latest project: the catchily named “electric stimulus to face – test 3”. Via a range of strategically placed electrodes, Manabe’s face is made to twitch in time with one of his own digital compositions. While admiring the captivating effects this produces, it does you a slightly itchy nose and we in no way recommend trying to have a go yourself. (Link: Andrew Sullivan).
Lahti Poster Museum 1975-1990 anniversary poster, 1990
Opening tonight at Les Silos at the Maison du livre et de l’affiche in Chaumont, France is an exhibition of posters by the Finnish graphic designer, Kari Piippo.
Brands are saying sorry at a more rapid rate than ever. CR’s advertising columnist Ben Kay delves into why sorry is no longer the hardest word and whether this is an effective strategy for winning audiences
By loosening its approach to advertising, and engaging with its audience directly, the drinks brand has transformed with the times and won a whole new set of fans
Kelly Grovier’s new book charts the artist’s persistent dialogue with classic and contemporary art
We speak to Lego’s VP of global brand development Alero Akuya about the brand’s rare ability to straddle the physical and virtual worlds with ease – whether through its immersive new art exhibition in Paris or collaborations with Epic Games and Nike
The Pentagram partner has created the titles for the acclaimed new Netflix show, which reimagines the Greek myths in a contemporary setting
A new book from Reel Art Press collates the first comprehensive history of film posters. We explore why they remain an underappreciated area of cultural design
The Autumn 2024 issue of Creative Review looks at the brands and individuals who are pushing creativity forward on their way to the top
Mark Sinclair talks to the artist and designer about his new book, Lost Ordinary Magic, and the importance of recognising the power of simplicity and the everyday wonders that surround us
We explore how the 90s, an era the UK looks favourably upon for its thriving culture, are continually inspiring a stagnated creative industry
The band’s surreal new album visuals explore a darker, more grotesque side of romance. We speak to the creative team behind the campaign about challenging the visual tropes of rock music
As the &Walsh founder launches her agency’s new offshoot Type of Feeling, she discusses why typography’s ability to evoke emotions makes it one of the most powerful tools at a brand’s disposal
Kinda Studios is tapping into the emerging field of neuroaesthetics to help creatives and brands make more impactful work that benefits people’s wellbeing