Yesterday we had a guest lecture by non other than Manchester's own Peter Saville.
With his latest work getting more art orientated rather than design Saville explained his transition from design. He explained how he felt that he had never been a designer in the first place and that his style of work had developed from what he thought was contemporary art. Whilst at university Saville enjoyed the opportunity to experiment and discovered inspiration form the likes of Jan Tschichold and the Bauhaus. When it came to the point of leaving the school of art Saville explained how he found it difficult to work within the design industry and how he found his way to Factory records. Whilst working as a designer at Factory Saville produced record sleeve art work for the likes of Joy Division and New Order. Saville is famously known worldwide for his art work for the music industry which also include the posters for the Factory at the Hacienda. Whilst working for the Factory Saville explained how he never received a brief towards any of his design, which gave him the opportunity to work freely in the same environment whilst at university. Saville then mentioned how contemporary art was never accepted in Britain in the 70's and that he felt that he introduced contemporary art through the pop record sleeves that he produced at the time. Having worked as a designer within the music industry for thirty years Saville decided it was time for a change but realized that there was so much that he had never learned from working within a designer environment. Everyone within the design industry acknowledged him as a record designer and never really gave him the opportunity to try other methods of design. Twenty years on Saville has yet to design a record sleave and feels that there are more important methods in which he can assemble his work.
This lecture was very inspiring. I have always enjoyed looking at the work that Peter Saville had produced whilst at the Factory. It was also very strange to find someone who has managed to do so well within the design industry, who felt that he had never really been a designer. It was also privlege to have meet him whilst in my final year at university in Manchester.
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