Storm Thorgerson is the artist behind the images synonymous with identifying
the pop culture of the 70's throughout and into the Millennium (eg Dark Side
of the Moon: Wish You Were Here, Division Bell, House of the Holy). Creating
visually beautiful and thought-provoking art, Storm's work has featured on a
variety of single and album covers and collected in books including "Eye of
the Storm", "Mind over Matter" and "Walk Away Renee".
Storm's distinctive
style has made his artwork one of the most recognisable in the music
industry. He is responsible for the iconic images we associate with bands
like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Cranberries, Black Sabbath, Peter
Gabriel, and 10cc amongst others.
The distinctive and edgy style of Storm Thorgerson Art has an element of
"performance" to it. The Artist visualises the concept, creates the
imaginative scene and then captures it through photography - the 'temporary
installation' is caught through the camera and then it is gone, leaving
behind a photograph as the only evidence of the occurrence, which is what
appears on the album cover. Storm takes joy in engaging the audience to
provoke a reaction - is it reality or is it fantasy?
I like photography because it is a reality medium, unlike drawing which is
unreal. I like to mess with reality. Bend reality. Some of my works beg
the question of is it real or not? I use real elements in unreal ways. Is
the man really on fire? Why would he just be standing there? Who put the
beds on the beach? Why? Why is there a cow on the cover? It doesn't have
anything to do with the album, or does it? A boxer dog in designer boxer
shorts on a beach?
Incongruity. I like to create things that are unlikely (dog in designer
shorts), unbelievable (beds on a beach) and unacceptable (setting a man on
fire). Make people doubt what they see. How real is real? My work triggers
sufficient interest in what it 'is' and makes people ask what it 'means'.
-- Storm Thorgerson, private interview, 2004
This represents the first exhibition of Storm's artwork since his stroke at
the opening night of his Paris exhibition last year. For an exciting
insight into the man behind these iconic images, the exhibition of Storm
Thorgerson's art is an opportunity not to be missed!
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