Designers Republic sells off iconic indie artwork

Fans of The Designers Republic - an iconic graphic design agency that played a central part in the Northern English indie and dance scenes of the 1980s and 1990s - filled their boots with a recent exhibition of its work, entitled tDR Car Booty Affair, Nothing is Forever, Everything Must Go.

Appearing at artist Pete McKee’s hip "A Month of Sundays" gallery in Sheffield, fans of the studio's artwork were able to view and buy pieces from the archives of tDR.

Showcasing work dating back to 1986 - including projects for Pulp, PWEI, The Orb, Warp Records, WipeOut, and Gatecrasher - the exhibition has given fans the chance to purchase rare T-shirts, records, flyers, posters and more.

If that wasn't enough, there was also a "tDR jukebox Pho-Ku selected from releases drenched in tDR art and looped screenings of historic TV interviews with Ian Anderson".

Pete McKee fans may also be interested in his reworkings of Warp films' posters as the company celebrates its 10th birthday.

"When Warp asked me to paint their favourite films I immediately said yes," says McKee, "and then wondered how I was going to portray a film where there are 11 murders in it and another film where a lovely dog meets an untimely end in the first scene. Not my usual subject matter, but an interesting challenge."

This showcase was originally published in Computer Arts issue 207.

Now read:

• The art of print ads: 50 stunning examples
• The ultimate guide to logo design: 25 expert tips
• How to brand a logo: 15 design trends for 2012