Storm Thorgerson’s hugely sucessful art exhibition (Taken By Storm), that made it’s debut in London in 2004 and strode across the worlds stage for a number of years. We have great coverage from 2004 – 2009. Please select a venue from the links on your left.
Original Press Release
A major exhibition of Storm Thorgerson’s artwork was held from 21st September until the 9th October 2004 at the John Martin Gallery in Chelsea, off Kings Road, London. This represents the first showcase of Storm’s artwork since his stroke at the opening night of his Paris Pink Floyd “Interstellar” exhibition in October 2003.
Storm Thorgerson, first with Hipgnosis (formed in 1968) and then later in his own right, is the artist behind the images synonymous with identifying the pop culture of the 70’s throughout and into the Millennium. Creating visually beautiful and thought-provoking art, Storm’s work has featured on a variety of single, album and CD covers, as well as posters, 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 Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Momentary Lapse of Reason, Atom Heart Mother, Animals, The Division Bell and More.
In 1985 Hipgnosis ceased to exist, but undeterred, Storm went solo and continued directing music videos. His direction for the Pink Floyd video “Learning to Fly” won the best director award at the American Billboard Awards. Storm’s work extended into documentaries, such as the two-part “Art of Tripping” for Channel 4 in 1993 which explored the connections between artists and drugs and included some new music from David Gilmour. The following year, Storm directed for Pink Floyd six short films to be screened through the duration of their world tour.
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?
STORM: “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 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)
A complete set of limited edition prints are available to view at www.jmlondon.com. These are a selection of Pink Floyd and other prints, wonderfully produced and would make great display items.
On display are more than thirty limited edition numbered and signed prints as well as some of the sculptures that appear on the album covers. Approximately half of the artwork is associated with Pink Floyd.
After London, another highly successful show was held in Chicago from May 6 2005 until June 5th 2005.
The show then moved to Los Angeles, where it ran from 30 July 2005 until 9 October 2005
2006 Schedule
Long Island New York
Pink Floyd Artwork
13th September – 13th October 2006
Generation Pop
Gifted Images Gallery
7A North Park Avenue
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
516 536 6891
Birmingham, England
Storm Warning
5th – 28th October
St Paul’s Gallery
94 – 106 Northwood Street
Off St Paul’s Square
Birmingham B3 1TH
44 (0)121 236 5800
Cleveland Ohio
Taken By Storm
20th October – 31st December 2006
Gallery 324
1301 East 9th Street
Cleveland Ohio 44114
216 780 1522
Milan Italy
Calm Before the Storm
3rd November – TBD (approximately one month)
ArteUtopia
Milan 20123 Via GianGiacomo Mora
San Francisco California
Name TBD
18th November 2006 – Mid Jan 2007
San Francisco Art Exchange
458 Geary St
San Francisco, CA 94102
2007 Schedule
Mexico – National Museum 8th March for 3 months
Cape Town – venue to be confirmed – 17th March for 3 weeks
Switzerland – April – venue and dates to be confirmed
Friday 16 November until Tuesday 4th December
Elms Lesters Painting Rooms
1-3-5 Flitcroft Street
London WC2H 8DH
The exhibition in Los Angeles ran from 31st July – 9th October. Storms exhibition was part of the larger “Art in Music” exhibition, and was held at Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale California. Forest Lawn Museum is located at Forest Lawn – Glendale 1712 South Glendale Avenue Greater Los Angeles