The National Theatre will explore many of its poster designs from 1963 until the present day in a new exhibition arriving from the 4th October.
Curated by design critic and writer Rick Poynor, this new exhibition to be displayed in the National Theatre’s Wolfson gallery in October will examine the evolution of poster design at the National Theatre, showcasing many classic examples.
From 1963 until the present day, each art director led the theatre’s graphic design studio in creating images for posters, programmes and now digital artwork. The exhibition will feature work designed by the likes of Ken Briggs, Richard Bird, Michael Mayhew, Charlotte Wilkinson and current Creative Director Ollie Winser and the Graphic Design Studio.
As well as original posters, the display will feature interviews with past and current Art or Creative Directors in order to trace the changes in process, design and function over the past 50 years.
Curator Rick Poynor said: “An exciting theatre poster manages to capture the essence of a play. It grabs your attention with something surprising and draws you in. The National Theatre has a long tradition of producing adventurous poster designs that encapsulate the inventiveness and energy of its productions.”
Alongside the exhibition a book, National Theatre Posters: A Design History will be published by Unit Editions.
National Theatre Posters will be on display at the National Theatre from the 4th October until the 31st March 2018.