Before digital tools revolutionized visual arts, creators harnessed hands-on techniques, working with chemicals and physical layers to concoct graphic designs and process images. Trevor Key was a foremost British creator in this space and his innovative techniques transformed the darkroom into a graphic design studio.
Now, The Sigma Foundation, a philanthropic initiative set up by the Japanese lens manufacturer to promote photography, is set to release an eponymous book on the late photographer, delving into his creative process and his work.
Trevor Key is the first book to document the artist's work, covering two decades of his career (1972–1995). At the core of the book is the collaboration between Key and Peter Saville, the influential British art director and graphic designer.
This creative partnership spanned the 1970s and 80s, with the duo's work blending bold typography with pioneering analog photography techniques, notably bringing to life the visual identities of artists like New Order, Mike Oldfield, Phil Collins, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Peter Gabriel.
The Dichromat Technique, where they selectively re-colored black-and-white negatives using layered filters and varying exposures to produce striking images, came to define their approach.
This technique was further innovated later in the partnership to infuse color, producing album covers and wider works reminiscent of Andy Warhol's silkscreens, which the pair achieved by taking hundreds of exposures to refine the exact color intensities.
Trevor Key will be presented by Peter Saville at Arles, France during the Les Rencontres d'Arles photography festival, tomorrow, July 07, and is set for a 1,500-edition release in August.
The 244-page monograph also includes an essay from photography curator and writer Charlotte Webb, as well as commentary from Saville. Prices for the book are yet to be confirmed – keep an eye on the Sigma Foundation webpage for updates.
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