In June 2023, The Guardian Books released a special edition to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Windrush. The edition featured a piece written by influential Black artists who shared their favourite books that helped shape Black British Identity. As a part of the project, I was responsible for creating artwork for the front cover and inside spread of the edition. The artwork was aimed at celebrating Black literature and features archive images which are relevant to Black British life over the past 75 years.
Front cover design featuring archive images including Brixton Road Rail Bridge (left), a group of women at Notting Hill Carnival in the 90's (left), the Empire Windrush (centre) and black-British singer, Pauline Black (right).
The client had a strong affinity towards the collage-style design. I blended this aesthetic with geometric shapes to unify the imagery and add a celebratory element to the artwork. The final result has a vibrant, historical feel that captures the essence of the project.
Inside spread artwork featuring Notting Hill Gate underground sign (right), Heygate Estate in Elephant & Castle (right) and 1979 NUPE Nurse's Demonstration (left).
