No doubt about it, Gorillaz make incredible songs capable of standing up on their own two feet. But where would they be without their wickedly playful visual side? It all stems from Jamie Hewlett, who conceived the animated superstars alongside then-roommate Damon Albarn in 1998. Hewlett’s career spans back to the early 90’s, where his era-defining and anarchic Tank Girl comic became an iconic source of inspiration for what Gorillaz would later become. In the years since, he’s raised 2-D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle from precocious talents to a world-conquering force. This autumn, he releases his first ever major monograph. The book, chronicled by Julius Wiedemann, covers his entire career – from Gorillaz sketches, to involvement in the Beijing Olympics, to his exhibition in the Saatchi Gallery.
Check out a selection of his best works below, and get a copy of Hewlett’s monograph here.
All images courtesy of TASCHEN.
Hewlett has a fascination with tarot cards, especially Chilean designer Alejandro Jodorowsky’s reconstruction of the Tarot de Marseille. In Le Mat / The Fool, he brings his own take to the format, complete with obligatory monkeys.
Honey is an example of another Hewlett obsession – old school, 70’s-style retro movie posters.
In 2007, Hewlett and Albarn debuted their stage adaptation of Monkey Journey to the West at Manchester Opera House.
Hewlett’s Billy Fury piece shows Gorillaz’s four ‘Humanz’-era members looking seriously menacing in a Tokyo-style metropolis.
In 2005, Hewlett was awarded ‘Designer of the Year’ by London’s Design Museum.
The band sit back and make beats in the ‘Demon Days’ era.
In 2015 and 20 years after his original creation, Hewlett gave an update to his Tank Girl comic with 21st Century Tank Girl.
