Never judge a book by its cover

Penguin Books and London gallery Stolen Space’s exhibition Never Judge… is an invitation to question the proverbial, casting an eye over reinterpretations of book cover art by selected illustrators and designers.

Briefed to pick a novel that inspires them, artists were asked to chose a book ‘that has had a profound effect on them or a book they remember fondly as a child,’ say organisers. 

Blek Le Rat, Jon Burgerman, Anthony Burril, David Gentleman, Faris Badwan, Kai and Sunny, Kid Acne and Pete Fowler have all contributed work.

Each design has to be made to the dimensions of an original Penguin book, (198mm x 129mm) and a singular or cross-pollination approach through painting, printing, etching, sculpting and photography has been encouraged.

Alternative covers will be hung in The Old Truman Brewery but not the  original counterparts and a limited edition of prints of the reinterpretations will be available for purchase.

The exercise is a celebratory one, but partly a reminder of the ingenuity and beauty found in cover design art, which is now under threat from digital download covers attached as thumbnails with ebooks, organisers say.

Never Judge… runs until 19 December at The Truman Brewery.