Bowie Nights: Jonathan Barnbrook - Designing Bowie

The first event in the BOWIE NIGHTS series. A special talk by the renowned graphic designer who collaborated with Bowie on every album from Heathen to ★

Jonathan Barnbrook is best known for his long-running collaboration with David Bowie, designing all of the record covers for Bowie’s later albums. He was nominated for a Grammy twice – first for The Next Day, and then for Bowie’s final album, ★ (Blackstar), for which he won. He also served as artistic adviser for the David Bowie Is exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum and created the visual identity for You’re Not Alone. Beyond his work with Bowie, he is widely recognised for his innovative typography and his collaborations with activist groups.

Designing Bowie takes a more personal look at the process behind these Bowie projects, from Heathen (2003) through to ★ (Blackstar). It covers what it was like working directly with Bowie, the public reaction to the controversial The Next Day cover, and the aftermath of designing Bowie’s final album, alongside some of the lesser-known Bowie projects that sit alongside it.