Stanley Donwood

The enigmatic Stanley Donwood is often cited as one of the most important visual artists of his generation. His explorative aesthetic harnesses uniquely evocative and eerie imagery to represent what he perceives to be a world in emotional, political and environmental turmoil. Stanley cleverly manipulates a diverse range of mediums and subjects including graphic print, installation, digital photography, map art, illustrative cityscapes and more.

Stanley Donwood’s Early Career

Stanley Donwood, the pseudonym of Dan Rickwood, was born in 1968 in Essex, England. He studied Art at the University of Exeter where he met Radiohead frontman, Thom Yorke. The two became close friends which sparked the beginning of a lifelong creative collaboration between Stanley and the band. Stanley has produced the album covers and promotional materials for Radiohead and Thom Yorke since 1994. Stanley extended his creative scope in the music industry to design the official artwork for Glastonbury Festival, unveiled as 'The Shelter of a Dream'.

Exploring New Avenues

As well as album covers, Stanley’s distinctive etchings and screen prints, such as The End and Poor End, stand out for their edgy textures, bold colours and ominous apocalyptic themes. Stanley was also tasked to make the terrifying beautiful as the Art Director of multimedia installation The Bomb (2016). The film premiered in Gotham Hall in New York and explores fears of nuclear annihilation. In addition to his artwork, Stanley has authored several books of short stories.

Exhibitions & Accolades

Stanley’s collections have been exhibited at galleries in Australia, Netherlands, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo, Rome, London and more. He has received 2 Grammy Awards for his distinctive brand designs for Radiohead.