”The second half of the factory story is best summed up by the painterly eccentricity of Central Station, Matt, Pat and Karen”. Tony Wilson.
Established in 1985 and based in Manchester, England, Central Station Design is a critically acclaimed team of artists Pat Carroll, Matt Carroll and Karen Jackson.
Central Station were responsible for creating a new visual language, their artwork produced for Factory Records, Happy Monday's, Black Grape, and James, have become iconic images.
Central Station launched their first art exhibition in 1990 at the Manchester City Art Gallery, featuring a collection of larger-than-life portraits of famous faces from British film and television. The V&A purchased four paintings for their permanent collection of modern art.
"As kids we would sit looking out of the bedroom window, watching the neighbours, parading past on their way to the labour club on Saturday night. All dressed up with their painted faces, champagne pink and blue rinse hair do's. These images were the inspiration for the portraits that became the 'Hello Playmates' exhibition, and the portrait of Shaun Ryder that was used on the cover of Bummed.
The Artwork and the film titles they created for '24 Hour Party People' were included in 'Communicate - Independent British Graphic Design since the Sixties'. Focusing on the most creative, innovative and highly regarded design work over the past four decades. The exhibition toured the major cities across China and the Far East, finally showing at the Museum of Design Zurich.
Hypergallery are honoured to present a selection of this triumphant trio's work for the Happy Mondays and others in our British Artists Gallery.