Ink & Paper gig posters exhibition

A three-day celebration of beautiful gig posters is opening this month in London, showcasing some stunning prints from a crop of international poster designers.

Army of Cats
Army of Cats

The show, Ink & Paper, is organised by the UK Poster Association (UKPA) – the organising body set up to promote the UK gig poster scene. About 200 posters from 30 artists will be on display, all of which are for sale.

Damien Tran
Damien Tran

As well as UK artists, the show will also feature works from those hailing from Europe and the US, including Brag Collective, Comet Substance, Telegramme Studio, Fugscreen Design, Guy Burwell, Kate Prior, Monkey Ink/John Howard and Horse Design. Many of the artists were approached following UKPA’s trip to South By South West festival, which hosted the Flatstock exhibition with the American Poster Institute (API).

Dan Stiles
Dan Stiles

‘There’s not been any poster shows quite on this scale, especially in London’, says Robert Evans of UKPA. ‘To be honest the brilliant thing about the gig poster worlds is that often its very low in most and the artist get to expand on anything they want to.’

Drew Millward
Drew Millward

Evans adds , ‘There’s no real trends that drive the design other than people’s personal explorations – there’s very little input from the bands or the clients other than the final approval.

‘That’s what’s so great  – people get to develop their own styles, sometimes over ten or 15 years, so you can see how their personal style develops.’

Guy Burwell
Guy Burwell

It’s hoped that following this inaugural exhibition, Ink & Paper will become an annual event – something helped by the fact gig posters are constantly being produced. On the Sunday of the exhibition weekend, there will be a question and answer panel discussion with four of the artists discussing their work.

Luke Drozd
Luke Drozd

So what does Evans thinks makes a successful gig poster? ‘If the band’s happy and people are into it, that’s great. You know it’s a success if when you’re at a show or listening to the band’s record you think, “that really fits.”’

Telegramme Studio
Telegramme Studio

Ink & Paper runs from 11 – 13 May at The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1

We Three Club
We Three Club
Hide Comments (3)Show Comments (3)
Comments
  • karen morton November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I wonder does the exhibition include tracks from the artists featured in the exhibition. It would help to connect the poster to the band . Great idea hope people can make this short viewing window

  • Richard Ward November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Nice to know where its on???

  • Josephine November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Hello, this looks great – does anyone know the times the exhibition is on? Would like to go after work on the friday….

  • Post a comment

Latest articles