This autumn the London College of Communication hosts a grand celebration of its heritage and influence to coincide with LDF 2014.
Fifty years of illustration, one hundred years of graphic design and ten years of button badges –these are the milestones that will be celebrated by the London College of Communication in its forthcoming trio of retrospectives, collectively titled ’160′. Launching during this year’s London Design Festival, the show is particularly keen to emphasise the connection between education and industry in the design fields, with many of the participants having taught or studied at the institution.
As Professor Lawrence Zeegen, Dean of the School of Design, explains: “’160′ at London College of Communication celebrates the work of numerous influential designers and illustrators across the past 100 years. Reflecting the disciplines of graphic design, typography and illustration, all taught and researched within LCC’s School of Design, this trio of exhibitions has been curated to inspire and inform today’s and tomorrow’s generations of design creatives.”
The tripartite event will encompass: 50 Years of Illustration, an exhibition exploring the rapid changes that have taken place in illustration over the last five decades, from the idealism of the 60s through the advent of digital technologies; Alan Kitching and Monotype: Celebrating the centenary of five pioneers of the poster, a show based on the work of Tom Eckersley, Abram Games, FHK Henrion, Josef Müller-Brockmann and Paul Rand, 2014 marking the centenary of each of their births, a fact that Kitching pays tribute to with a unique series of prints; and Stereohype 2004-2014, a display heralding the tenth year of eponymous art label and its renowned button badge collection, which will reach its 1,000th design in September.
Launching concurrently with the 50 Years of Illustration exhibition is a new book of the same title by Zeegen and Grafik editor Caroline Roberts, published by Laurence King. The publication moves decade by decade identifying the key practitioners in each era and reproducing key works alongside introductory essays and in-depth profiles.
’160′
London College of Communication
13 September – 31 October
(Alan Kitching and Monotype till 16 October)
arts.ac.uk/lcc