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THE BLOG AT THE CROSSROADS


London Graphic Night at Salon for the City!

Posted: June 25, 2014

Most of the uncountable images of London have something fantastical about them – whether it be the earliest crazy birdseye panoramas of the 17th Century, Gustave Dores’s gothic documentary engravings or the aspirational chimeras of the current crop of property developers. But tomorrow night at Westminster Reference Library off Leicester Square, Salon for the City No 17 presents London Graphic and brings together two imaginary friends: writer and comic historian Paul Gravett and pre-eminent graphic artist Dave McKean, to illuminate the realities of the truly imagined city.

First up, writer Paul Gravett co-curator of the current extraordinary exhibition Comics Unmasked at The British Library will take us time-travelling through the history of comics, graphic novels and manga to explore and explain the myriad portrayals of the capital. These range from the Roman Londinium of Asterix and the fear-filled Victorian streets of Jack the Ripper to the futuristic visions of flooded Drowntown (above) and chaotic Brit-Cit of Judge Dredd. Paul’s illustrated talk will embrace both the fantastical and the documentary, and both British and international creators. London emerges through these writers and artists not only as a vibrant backdrop but as a compelling character in its own right.

Then we are very pleased to welcome Dave McKean to the Salon. Described by his collaborator Neil Gaiman as ‘the most artistically talented person I had ever encountered’, Dave is an illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician. His work incorporates drawing, collage, painting, found objects, photography, digital art and sculpture. His collaborations with Gaiman on works such as Coraline and Sandman plus countless CD and book covers have inspired many other artists and writers. Dave will discuss London in his work including his collaboration with writer Iain Sinclair on “Slow Chocolate Autopsy”. And to conclude, we may have the pleasure of a short audiovisual musical performance..

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My Books





1001 Comics  You Must Read Before You Die edited by Paul Gravett





Comics Art by Paul Gravett from Tate Publishing

Comics Unmasked by Paul Gravett and John Harris Dunning from The British Library


All contents © Paul Gravett, except where noted.
All artwork © the respective copyright holders.