Walking Backwards: Vaughan Oliver

Curated by Lee Widdows

UCA is proud to present WALKING BACKWARDS a showcase sample of work from the Vaughan Oliver Archive. Crossing disciplines of design, fashion, music and moving image, this exhibition also reflects elements of a design ethos, which lays at the heart of teaching and learning at UCA, Epsom.

Recognised as a design visionary Oliver’s work stands out for its emotional and ethereal quality.

Oliver created a stunning portfolio of work for the label  4AD whose stable included the Cocteau Twins, the Pixies, Lush, the Breeders and This Mortal Coil. His designs won devoted admirers across the world. 

Beyond the music world, Oliver has worked with a range of clients including Sony, Aspesi, The Young Vic, Harrods, BBC, V&A Museum, Ballet Preljocaj, Microsoft, Sony PlayStation, Raygun Publishing, Tyneside Cinema and Ron Arad.

Oliver has exhibited in Nantes, Paris, Tokyo, Osaka, Los Angeles and Athens. He was awarded an Honorary MA by UCA in 2010. He is an elected member of the AGI – Alliance Graphique Internationals.

 In 2016 Vaughan Oliver re-located his personal design archive to UCA, Epsom. Spanning over 35 years of work, illustrating the journey from analogue to digital, the collection houses the work of a designer who is an inter- disciplinary connector, a unique art director of image and text, and a generous collaborator of practice. Oliver is visiting Professor at UCA and WALKING BACKWARDS offers a glimpse into the career of one of the most influential graphic designers of his generation.