Output details

Blake@LXXX

This book contains a unique collection of images by and of the British artist, Peter Blake, to celebrate his 80th birthday. The research challenge was to create an intimate portrait of this artist through design, layout, and presentation. My approach was to design a small-scale book housed in a burgundy, velvet covered, slip case. The book is hand bound, with traditional stitching holding the pages together. The binding is high quality, Japanese hand-made paper to reinforce the concept of intimacy through touch. The appearance and texture of this designed object reinforces the notion of concealing and revealing the private world of the artist. Blake’s lifelong obsession with the popular culture of his childhood is reflected in the layout and typography of the text.

As the visual author, I selected the majority of the images, many are of which are of unknown and unfinished artworks by Blake, or objects selected by him, all photographed in the artist’s studio. The arrangement and unfamiliar juxtaposition of images is an integral element of the book, which challenges the format of conventional artists’ biographies. The artworks, whether finished or unfinished, are cropped and rearranged without captions or explanation. The fragments of fine art are interspersed with images taken from popular culture, enhancing our understanding of Blake and his artistic practice.

The book won first prize for Best Digitally Printed book at the British Book and Production Awards in 2012. It forms part of a larger project; it slips into a secret cavity within a limited edition, wooden box containing objects relating to Peter Blake at 80. The box has entered the permanent collection of the V & A Museum.

The output is presented via portfolio, which should be viewed in order to gain a proper understanding of the research.