Designers > Central Station Design > Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective > Launch Party

Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Matt, Pat and Karen
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Matt, Pat and Karen [photo: © Karin Albinsson 2008]
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; John Squire, Shaun Ryder, Bez and Mani
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; John Squire, Shaun Ryder, Bez and Mani [photo: © Karin Albinsson 2008]
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Shaun Ryder and Bez
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Shaun Ryder and Bez [photo: © Karin Albinsson 2008]
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Michael Winterbottom
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Michael Winterbottom [photo: © Karin Albinsson 2008]
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Paul Ryder and Terry Hall
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Paul Ryder and Terry Hall [photo: © Karin Albinsson 2008]
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Shaun Ryder
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Shaun Ryder [photo: © Karin Albinsson 2008]
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Mani, Bez and Dave Haslam
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Mani, Bez and Dave Haslam
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Bobby Charlton football card
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Bobby Charlton football card
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Paul Ryder and Slim
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Paul Ryder and Slim
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Cressa, John Squire, Mani and Matt Carroll
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; Cressa, John Squire, Mani and Matt Carroll

"The second half of the factory story is best summed up by the painterly eccentricity of Central Station, Matt, Pat and Karen." - Tony Wilson

To celebrate, Central Station are to showcase a retrospective exhibition, to be held throughout from 16 May to 21 June 2008 (note new dates) at Manchester's Richard Goodall Gallery. The exhibition will include a selection of limited edition fine art prints of some of their iconic artwork.

Central Station's legendary career has seen them working with bands such as Happy Mondays, James, and Black Grape. They have been responsible for creating a revolution in the art of record sleeve design. Their artwork is gloriously anarchic, free-flowing, and wildly evocative.

"We've always thought that graphic design is a bit up it's own arse, so in our designs we always tried to do something a bit looser, we wanted to establish and create our own identity. As kids we always thought beyond our means, obsessed with the idea that there was more to life than doing what everyone else did." - Central Station.

Curator Richard Goodall notes, "Central Station's work is widely accepted as amongst the most influential; they inspired a generation of artists, designers and music fans and helped define the infamous 'Madchester' era."

Their 2001 collaboration with Michael Winterbottom on his film 24 Hour Party People opened the door to a wide range of TV and film design projects, from Channel 4's Hamburg Cell to ITV's Prime Suspect. This has led the team to working with such names as Helen Mirren, Robbie Coltrane, Tim Robbins, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Gallery curator Richard anticipates great success for the show, "We are honoured to be housing this exclusive exhibition. Central Station's influential designs are part of both music recording and Manchester's history and this show will present a great viewing opportunity for music and art fans alike."

and from another mag FROM LH TO CENTRAL STATION

Salford's greatest living artists celebrate 25 years of creating with a major retrospective exhibition...

There's artists, there's graphic artists... and there's Central Station, who mix and match everything into great big sensational multi-coloured, psyche soaked images that zap you somewhere else...

Best known for visually detonating the whole 'Madchester' thing with glowing, head pecking, iconic album artwork for the likes of Happy Mondays, James and Northside, Central Station are graphic art legends.

The team Little Hulton's Matt and Pat Carroll, and Karen Jackson are showing both original artwork and signed limited edition screenprints from the Madchester era, many in their original format before the type was overlaid. Also on display are mad, crackling portraits of mad yesteryear comedians plus loads of other snazzy, bazzing stuff. Do not miss.

Central Station Retrospective runs 16 May to 21 June 2008 at the Richard Goodall Gallery, 103 High Street, Manchester.

Further details from Richard Goodall Gallery Tel: 0161 832 3435

Manchester's finest turned out for the party to celebrate the launch of the long-awaited Central Station Design Retrospective 'Faç Off' at Richard Goodall's new gallery space at the top end of High Street in the Northern Quarter on Thursday 15 May 2008.

Those coming out to play included Shaun Ryder, Paul Ryder, Bez, Mani, John Squire, Cressa, Terry Hall, Bruce Mitchell, Trevor Johnson, Dave Haslam and John Thomson. Central Station's Karen Jackson and Pat & Matt Carroll must have been very proud to see their work on display in such fine surroundings and in such good company.

When the drinks ran out we decamped to Matt & Phred's on Tib Street to continue the party with top notch sounds courtesy of Sam Carroll and his mate.

Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective
 Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective; flyer reverse
Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective - (l-r) Matt Carroll, Shaun Ryder, Pat Carroll, Karen Jackson at the launch party on Thursday 15 May 2008
 Faç Off: The Central Station Design Retrospective - (l-r) Matt Carroll, Shaun Ryder, Pat Carroll, Karen Jackson at the launch party on Thursday 15 May 2008