Overview

Exploring Shell's remarkable archive of advertising art, this book is the first to present a comprehensive overview of the company's artistic heritage. Examinations of the historical, political and social contexts of Shell art and advertising enable the authors to assess the work's broader cultural significance. By delving into the ways in which Shell's publicity was conceived, commissioned, produced and disseminated, the particular contributions made by artists and designers including Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland, Ben Nicholson and Edward McKnight Kauffer, are highlighted, while broader questions such as Shell's position within contemporary debates regarding the aesthetics and proper purpose of 'Commercial Art' are explored. Drawing primarily on Shell's extensive poster collection, as well as other contemporary sources, Shell Art & Advertising provides valuable insights into the development of commercial art in the UK. Featuring a wealth of fascinating images, this original publication will appeal to cultural historians, as well as fans of Modern British Art.

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9781848223783

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Reviews

'[Shell's] publicity was multimedia. There were the whimsical Shell Guides by John Betjeman and John Piper, and a film unit of such distinction that during World War II Beddington was seconded to the Ministry of Information to make documentaries. These events are told in lively and well-researched text and one learns much about the Shell Guides in particular, but it's the skill and variety of the poster art that will persuade most people to buy this book. The oil behemoth's output celebrated the British landscape or quirky landmarks, often using contemporary artists to highlight the modern world that petrol had brought into being.' - World of Interiors

Author Information

Scott Anthony is a writer and historian based at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. His books include Public Relations and the Making of Modern Britain (2012), The Projection of Britain (with James Mansell, 2011) and Night Mail (2008). Nicky Balfour Penney is the Shell Heritage Art Collection Manager. Oliver Green is former Head Curator and now Research Fellow at the London Transport Museum. He is currently a freelance historian, lecturer and museums consultant. Oliver has curated numerous museum exhibitions and displays. His publications include London's Underground: The Story of the Tube (2019), Frank Pick's London: Art, Design and the Modern City (2013), British Aviation Posters: Art, Design and Flight (with Scott Anthony, Lund Humphries, 2012) and London Transport Posters (Lund Humphries, 2008). He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). Margaret Timmers was formerly Senior Curator of Prints in the Word & Image Department of the V&A. She is the editor of Impressions of the Twentieth Century and Power of the Poster.

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