Winston Smith (artist)
Winston Smith (born May 27, 1952) is an American artist, illustrator, and cover designer who primarily uses the medium of collage. He is probably best known for the artwork he has produced for the American punk rock group Dead Kennedys. He also designed the Motéma Music logo.
Smith is particularly known for his collaborations with
.A version of an illustration which had been on the back cover of the Biafra/D.O.A. album
His name is a reference to the character of the same name in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Smith left the U.S. in 1969 to study art in Italy and, struck by the profound social changes that had occurred during his absence from the U.S., adopted the name after returning to America in 1976.
In Italy, Smith attended the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze in Florence studying classical Renaissance art and later won a scholarship to study Cinema at the International University of Art (Florence & Rome). For a few years he traveled throughout Italy, roadie-ing for well-known Italian jazz band Perigeo. Over the last 30 years, Winston has had numerous one-man shows in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, London, Antwerp, Berlin and Rome.
His work has been included in numerous books chronicling the punk rock era as well as having his work included in art text books plus several book covers, such as
Early life
Smith was born and grew up in
and others in the 1970s.Career
Smith met fellow artist Jayed Scotti in 1976 and the two collaborated on several projects, producing their self-published magazine Fallout, a satirical pulp-zine, illustrated and written by the duo. They also distributed false posters for non-existent bands and clubs in San Francisco, with the addresses listed on the flyer often located in the Pacific Ocean.
The IDOL or Cross of Money image (later used for the Dead Kennedys first EP album "In God We Trust, Inc.") was created in 1977 in the Fairfax studio of Fallout, as a comment on religious hypocrisy and the worship of money. This was a 3D art piece, fashioned from a real crucifix. Later it was remade as an early color photocopy and submitted to a Berkeley Photocopy show. A friend of Jello Biafra told him of the piece, and later Smith sent him samples of his work. This was the beginnings of the collaboration of Smith and Scotti with the Dead Kennedys. Scotti later became the drummer for The Feederz.
To date, Smith has three published collections of his works: Act Like Nothing's Wrong, Artcrime and All Riot on the Western Front.[1]
Smith is included in the permanent collection of the Scandinavian collage museum.[2]
References
- ^ a b Winston Smith Winfo: Checkered Past
- ^ https://www.ekwimmer.com/2016/07/18/scandinavian-collage-museum-norway/ The opening poster for the museum at EK Wimmer's web pages.
External links
- Official website
- Alternative Tentacles Records Home of numerous Winston Smith art over the past 28 years.
- Winston Smith discography at Discogs
- Winston Smith at IMDb
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