Bish­ops­gate Insti­tute based in Spi­tal­fields Lon­don, offers a wel­com­ing and inspir­ing space for peo­ple with a thirst for knowl­edge to learn and flour­ish. They are home to a library and his­tor­i­cal archives and host talks, dis­cus­sions and courses.

Bish­ops­gate approached me after see­ing my work for the Bris­tol Folk House. Their require­ments were sim­i­lar — a pro­gramme of cours­es and work­shops for each term.

Bish­ops­gate are able to sup­ply me with rare his­toric images and ephemera to illus­trate their 12pp print­ed, fold out programmes. 

Bish­ops­gate Insti­tute is home to a 1927 Rose­wood Mod­el D Grand piano that was pre­vi­ous­ly owned by Dame Myra Hess. After Dame Myra’s death Bish­ops­gate acquired the piano in the 1990s. The piano affec­tion­ate­ly known as ​‘Myra’ has recent­ly been repaired and ren­no­vat­ed by Stein­way and a series of events were planned for her homecoming. 

The brief, to come up with an iden­ti­ty for a series of musi­cal con­certs inspired by and star­ring Myra. For me it had to be strong lines, bold sil­hou­ettes and sim­ple shapes for typog­ra­phy to sit upon. Myra’s curves say it all.

Wher­ev­er pos­si­ble I like to make mood boards to sug­gest the vibe of a project. 

All source imagery sup­plied by the Spe­cial Col­lec­tions and Archives at Bish­ops­gate Institute.