Alan Fletcher: Fifty years of graphic work (and play)

Alan Fletcher: Fifty years of graphic work (and play)
Cube Gallery, Manchester

Alan Fletcher has been described as one of the most influential graphic designers in British graphic design history, he died 2006 leaving a big legacy to all budding graphic designers like myself. If I’m honest I have to say that I had never heard of Alan Fletcher until I attended the CUBE Gallery in Manchester last week. This is not because I am ignorant, I’m just new to the graphic design scene and I’m still finding my feet with all the names and influences I am finding day by day. I do however have an advantage in the fact that I do enjoy going to galleries whether I have heard of the artist/ designer or not, just like I love to attend gigs of bands I have only heard of by recommendation. Alan Fletcher’s work did not disappoint me and I came away quite a fan.

I was surprised to find that I knew a piece of Alan Fletcher’s work already and had already touched upon it when I did my research file for the first ‘basic design’ module and looked at ‘Underground’ art. In fact there was a very wide range of styles of art and works which Alan Fletcher was involved in. These included posters, logos, typography, statues, collages and models. He did a lot of commercial work for art based businesses such as galleries and exhibitions which looked like they funded his personal and more experimental work which were the pieces I really admired.

There were various piece which really caught my eye such as the ‘Technological Graveyard’ which was basically a collage of pencils, there was also work he did using things he found around the house, all silver which started as a collage with just a spoon. I really like big bold bright posters and Alan Fletcher had plenty of these to offer. The main ones which stood out were the London bus, ‘I have nothing to say and I’m saying it’, ‘This Way Up’ and ‘Beware Wet Paint’. He also did a fantastic calendar which was simple, colourful, bold and bright, however the part which really captured my eye my favourite part of the whole exhibition were the paper animals, one was featured on the merchandise and advertising.

Overall there was a lot to take in and see, I learnt a lot from Alan Fletcher about how graphic design is so much more than logos and posters, nothing which I didn’t already know however it opened my eyes to how there is ways to balance work and play and how you can find a way to balance so many different forms of art and design within both.