Apologies for the poor pic above, shot on my mobile. But I wanted to record work in progress at the Norwich University College of the Arts, where Year 3 Graphic Communication students were getting their graduating shows together. And Studio was helping out, calming nerves and giving direction for hanging their work.
And that big white space is a layout design task in itself, so we firstly positioned work on desks to create that pleasing arrangement, then onto the walls. Bit to the right - bit more. Nice. All the work had to be up and ready for assessment by 6pm, so the room was a buzz with excitement and chin stroking. Plus, special mention for the floor - replaced only last week by order of NUCA's new principal John Last. The room has a white aura now and feels like a proper exhibition space. Cheers John.
Please come and see the Degree shows from Thursday 25th June to Thursday 2nd July 2009. Mehr Show! (Top marks for anyone who spotted the obscure Beatles reference. No? Nevermind). nuca.ac.uk
The second season of Mad Men reached its finale this week with mergers, confessions and homecomings - and I'm gutted that it's over.
I know we can catch up with i-players and gorge ourselves on DVD boxsets, but I still like to make an effort with my favourite shows at the time that it's listed in the TV guide. And Mad Men is unmissable. Set in a New York advertising agency in the early sixties - everyone is superbly dressed and chain smoke despite a Cuban missile crisis and loose sexual morals. As one character claimed in series one, "I've been on shore leave for the last 20 years".
Here is a selection of some of its best moments (beware of spoilers if you're already hooked and catching up).
Mad Men season 2 DVD is out in July. And I think the US are screening season 3 in August. Lucky sods.
Another post about David Hillman. And so soon, but why not - especially when there is work to be celebrated like London Life.
At his recent D&AD lecture, when talking about his work in the sixties, the title that created the biggest interest was this magazine. But at the time of writing the last post I could find no examples, but with the magic of the interweb, here they are and I'm thrilled. Take a look at that masthead; making the date of publication bigger than the magazine title is genius, plus the illustration is by a young gun called Ian Dury - a blockhead who was good with the words too.
Despite such originality, the publisher deemed it unsuccessful so a more conventional style was adopted. But by losing faith in its creative, London Life lost readership and ceased trading in 1966. Shame. It goes to show that it pays to keep to a ground breaking formula, as The Face and Arena went on to achieve later on in the '80s. Nice one Neville.
Fancy a road trip? A retrospective of David's work can be seen at The Hub in Lincolnshire. Details here.
Unfortunately, Studio slunk in twenty minutes late for this event thanks to delays on the rail network. Typical. Anyway, stood at the back I was still in time to hear David Hillman talk about his work in the sixties and take his guided tour through the decades that followed. In conversation with Patrick Baglee, it was a relaxed evening and like the many magazines that David's worked upon: content packed.
Is David the Austin Powers of the industry? Behave – but he was in London just as it was beginning to swing, working on the Sunday Times Colour Supplement and being appointed art director of London Life magazine in '65 at the style hungry age of 20. The word 'colour' is key to the sixties, where the UK was leaving behind the black and white world of post-war austerity and dazzling all with its creativity.
Working on Nova magazine from '69 until its closure in '75, he helped create a richly photographic and lavish publication for men and women (which confused potential advertisers). Its content, forever striving to break taboos such as reporting on homosexuality, VD and other confrontational issues. The design would also challenge the status quo - David's favourite example being a front cover featuring a pair of legs instead of the required formula of printing a Big Face. Such a crusading spirit resulted in a desirable magazine you didn't mind being seen reading on the tube.
Step into Patrick Baglee's D&AD tardis and you'll promptly appear in 1988 where David has been asked to re-design The Guardian. By making such radical decisions as placing the masthead on the right and the ultimate heresy of placing text content above it. Plus, a belief in quality photography and designing around the Big picture. There's a feeling throughout David's career that he continues to be in the right place at the right time, but with the talent to create era-defining design.
Of course that was a long time ago, and The Guardian has had another facelift since then (David dislikes the blue bar masthead) - here we are in 2009 and local newspapers and national magazines alike are facing closure. But for David he doesn't believe the threat is from technology alone. It could be the publishing industry itself. Where is the imagination? We still enjoy the printed word, greedily absorbing magazines and newspapers in depth and at our leisure, rather than the quick hit of the interweb. But we will only be appeased by provocative, stimulating content – superbly designed. For David, he sees too much repetition in news stand racks - the same celebrity faces staring back at a fame deluded public. The future can learn from the simplicity of the past - content to be driven by the 'idea', and the vital combination of style and substance.
Andi Sapey is one of Studio's regular collaborators and takes a great picture. And I'll tell you a secret; designers love working with photographers - as we sit chained to our macs, we envy them as they race around taking fabulous pictures, talking casually to models and generally recording a more glamourous world. And here is your exclusive preview of his recent second trip to Japan.
Andi was like an over stimulated child when he first returned from Tokyo. He absorbed its fluorescent and dizzy culture, seen its eccentric youth tribes which ram raid the 20th Century for inspiration. And he took a lot of pictures. Even the crowded street shots tell their own story, with the occasional face in the crowd disguised by a surgical mask - respectfully not spreading germs.
"While you're out there, take plenty of pictures of young people", I asked him before he left, "I want to see what they're wearing". I wanted to see its youth culture – and the Japanese appear to have borrowed much from the bored and disinterested of the west and ran with it. And created an identity strange and fascinating but still their own.
These guys are the Bōsōzoku, a 50's style motorcycle gang who look to have been cloned from Gene Vincent's DNA. Their exaggerated quiffs threaten the ozone layer and doorways alike. They hang around, rev their bikes and dance to a weird electronic rock and roll, stomping madly and binding their winklepickers with black tape so they don't fall apart.
BBC Four's recent 'Hidden Japan' season, featured the photographic work funded by Albert Khan, a wealthy retired banker who while travelling the world despatched a photographer to document his journey - and in colour too. He first visited Japan in 1908, and discovered a country on the cusp of change, their national identity still proudly routed in the past but about to be consumed by the wider world. It's weird to compare Khan's shots with Andi's – 101 years apart but still revealing an amazing culture. Japan still respects its traditions, but with a wicked sense of humour.
Warning: parents may get a little misty eyed at this post. Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, 'Where The Wild Things Are' has finally been made into a movie, and will soon be competing against the latest pixar creation, for our children's attention.
I first discovered this wonderful book when I was at art school in the late '80s, we were working on a brief for a children's pop-up book at the time. And I was immediately struck by the imaginative illustrations, which entice you further into the world of the wild things. I was 19 – what must it do to the mind of a 3 year old?
Ten or so years later I got to find out, as each night I read this magical book to my son Billy. It was his favourite bedtime story, and each time I re-told it there was the opportunity to embellish the story, while his eyes marveled at the imagery. Perhaps, he imagined he was Max, the boy in the story who was banished to his room for making mischief, and once there escapes to the land of the wild things.
Billy is ten now and will soon see the movie (he's always loved cinema) - I wonder what he'll think of it? The first signs are good, as it's directed by Spike Jonze - famous for music videos for artists such as Bjork and Fat Boy Slim and directing the movie, 'Being John Malkovich'. The kind of weird stuff perhaps perfect for where all wild things are.
Boys and girls, Mums and Dads – Here's the trailer, now weep:
I know what you're thinking - not another post about Peter Saville. But what can I say, I'm a fan and in that spirit I am going to write this account in the style of Heat magazine and not mention design at all.
Raven haired Peter Saville took to the stage this evening at Logan Hall, Institute of Education for the first of the D&AD President's Lectures. The event was a sell out, allowing standing room only for those skinny jean students still knocking back pre-talk lager. Perhaps they thought that given Peter's disregard for deadlines, there would be time for one more. But no, he was here, sat waiting to begin, all smiles and engaged in enthusiastic conversation with Adrian Shaughnessy. Maybe laughing about being duped into thinking it was due to begin an hour earlier.
Then someone grabbed his eye. It was Neville Brody, another 80's typo legend and sat only two seats away from Studio in the next row. Peter clad in white levi's, bounded up the stairs toward the man famed for The Face and Arena, to embrace and exchange continental kisses. It was quite a moment kids. Now on with the show.
Adrian took the role of Paxman and warned us that Peter was a talker - once he starts, forget about being home in time for The Apprentice. Never mind the telly, as we're told tonight, the brand of Peter Saville is probably his best creation. A designer without a home, who chose to live at work - and he does have plenty to say.
The students present must have been comforted by the tale that when at art college he asked his friend Malcolm Garrett where to get a copy of 'Pioneers of Modern Typography' - Malc told him 'in the college library' - Peter replied, 'where's that?'. Mal now incredulous says, 'Peter, you're in the third year'. Adrian loved this – 'is Malcolm here - are you here Malcolm?' he asked the silent dark Hall.
Then some students in the Hall had their hearts broken, when they heard from Lord Peter that perhaps us hacks from the sticks try harder - and that maybe Saint Martin students consider themselves already brilliant. Controversial stuff, which perhaps prompted a few asymmetric haircuts to grab their bags and leave. Perhaps with art, sex and takeaways on their minds – who knows.
Studio was disappointed that Kerry Katona, Girls Aloud or even Dale Winton didn't make the show. But those guys missed out on the designer who helped Wham! make it big. Or as Peter often tells Manchester City Council, 'make it better'.
(Studio now takes off Heat mask) Obviously there was much more. Interesting to hear that despite his stressful stay at Pentagram (Alan Fletcher told him that his work wasn't graphic design) that every day since he has drawn upon the business wisdom he learnt there. And how did he get the job as Creative Director of Manchester City Council? He had been considered by the selection board as being extremely rude and very honest regarding his home town. But he was successful despite his frankness because the board felt that the reason he was so rude, was because he cared.
Here's St.Peter on Banksy and Damien Hurst. Hold tight.
