Synopsis
This beautifully designed survey book features a carefully curated selection of the visual works of art by Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke, made over the last 30 years to accompany LP and CD albums by Radiohead, Yorke and his recently founded band The Smile. It showcases the wide array of their collaborative work.
This major retrospective catalogue is the first institutional show focusing on the visual works of art by Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke. The majority of the paintings, drawings and digital works were specifically made for Yorke's internationally celebrated band Radiohead, formed in Oxford in 1985. This features iconic artworks from the 1980s until today, relating to Radiohead albums, their covers and promotional band images, as well as sketchbooks and rare materials from their archives that have never before been published. It offers fresh views on the art of album covers, exploring the complex relationship between visual art and music.
Radiohead was formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The collaboration with the artist Stanley Donwood began in 1994 when the band was developing their second album, The Bends, which was released on 13th March, 1995. 2025 is therefore the 40-year anniversary of the band and the 30-year anniversary of the release of The Bends. The catalogue's focus is upon the art produced by both Stanley Donwood and the band’s lead vocalist, Thom Yorke presented chronologically. Radiohead’s popularity has never waned and they have a strong core following and new fans (many of who are the children of ‘original’ fans).
The high-quality reproductions are complemented by exclusive interviews with the artists, and essays by Alex Farquharson, Nico Kos Earle, Benjamin Myers, James Putnam and Jennifer Ramkalawon.
A major retrospective will be held at the Ashmolean Museum from August 2025 to January 2026.
About the Author
Lena Fritsch is the Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean, responsible for exhibitions, displays and acquisitions of international art. She teaches at the University of Oxford, V&A and SOAS. Previously, she was a curator at Tate Modern, London and Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin. Recent publications include Anselm Kiefer: Early Works (2024), Ashmolean NOW: Pio Abad (2023), Ashmolean NOW: Flora Yukhnovich x Daniel Crews-Chubb (2022), Tokyo: Art & Photography (with Clare Pollard, 2021). She holds a PhD from Bonn University and also studied at Keio University, Tokyo.
Benjamin Myers is an award-winning author and journalist, whose work includes fiction, non-fiction, poetry and journalism. His novels have been translated into13 languages. He is the author of Rare Singles, Cuddy, The Gallows Pole, The Offing and many more.
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