Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)
Documentary by photographer and filmmaker Anton Corbijn (Control) about the designers of studio Hipgnosis who were responsible for some of the most iconic album covers of all time, for acts such as Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.
Anton Corbijn’s feature documentary debut is an entertaining tribute to the days of analogue creativity and artistic risk. Whether you’re a fan of Pink Floyd or not, chances are you know exactly what the album covers of THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON and WISH YOU WERE HERE look like. But you might not be familiar with the creative duo behind those iconic images: Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell, aka the innovative design studio Hipgnosis.
Hipgnosis went from making covers for their mates to establishing themselves as the driving force behind visual identities of some of the most popular artists of the 1970s (think Led Zeppelin and Paul McCartney). Their methods were unconventional, their budgets often unreasonable, but they were fearless visionaries who artfully manipulated photographic images long before computer graphics became ubiquitous.
Corbijn’s film is a charming, witty, beautifully crafted tale, full of fascinating anecdotes and big music personalities. The interviews were filmed in Corbijn’s signature high-contrast black-and-white, but the album covers can be admired in all their dazzling colours.