Roll out the (Storm Thorgerson) barrel!
Written by Matt   
Saturday, 13 October 2007

barrel art logoStarting Monday is a touring exhibition with a big difference. Four very different British designers were challenged to create art using Glenfiddich whisky barrels. The designers are drawn from across the worlds of fashion, interiors, books and music - most notably, Storm Thorgerson, a legend within the music world and more specifically, amongst the Pink Floyd community.

The four barrel designers took their inspiration from the whisky ageing process and in particular the specific year the barrels were first laid down for maturation. We have details, including an exclusive picture of Storm's piece, and where you can see it...

The rest of the designer line up is:

  • Nick Hart - founder and designer of Savile Row tailors Spencer Hart, one of the UK’s most esteemed men’s fashion designers with stars such as David Bowie and Robbie Williams among his clients
  • David Pearson – award winning designer for Penguin books who has created cover artwork for thousands of books including popular classics such as Oliver Twist and Moby Dick and books by famous authors such as Georges Simenon
  • Timorous Beasties – award winning Glasgow design duo Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons have defined an iconoclastic style of design once described as ‘William Morris on acid’

storm thorgerson and barrel 2007 Storm, the renowned album artwork designer who has created iconic imagery for Pink Floyd, Muse, Biffy Clyro and many more commented:

"What we like to call, 'the lotus flower' is a sculpture in an approximate flower shape made entirely of barrel parts.

"The flower is an appropriate metaphor for the maturing of whisky - each petal marks a further year of aging as the 'whisky flowers'".

Click the thumbnail image to the left to see a larger version of the picture.

More details of the project can be found at uk.glenfiddich.com. The Glenfiddich Barrel Art exhibition begins on Monday, entry is free of charge, and all the designs will be included in the whole tour:

Air Gallery
15th - 20th October
32 Dover Street, London, W1S 4NE
11am - 5pm daily

Malmaison London
22nd October - 28th October
38 Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6AH
Midday - 11pm daily

Malmaison Leeds
29th October - 3rd November
1 Swinegate, Leeds, LS1 4AG
Midday - 11pm daily

Malmaison Glasgow
5th - 10th November
278 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 4LL
Midday - 11pm daily

Hotel Du Vin Harrogate
12th - 17th November
Prospect Place, Harrogate, HG1 1LB
Midday - 11pm daily

Malmaison Manchester
19th - 24th November
Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 3AQ
Midday - 11pm daily

Malmaison Newcastle
26th November - 1st December
Quayside, Newcastle Updon Tyne, NE1 3DX
Midday - 11pm daily

Hotel Du Vin Cheltenham
3rd - 8th December
Parabola Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3AQ
Midday - 11pm daily

Hotel Du Vin Brighton
10th - 15th December
Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AD
Midday - 11pm daily