This year marks the 30th anniversary of The Bends, the era defining second album to be released by alternative rock heavyweights Radiohead. Despite primarily being known for their music, Radiohead have always maintained a strong artistic presence.
Whether it was through album covers, inner sleeve art, or even just art exhibitions in their own right, frontman Thom Yorke and collaborative artist Stanley Donwood have been creating visual material for the band for over thirty years now. The pair’s latest venture is the best showcase of the art behind the music, a limited run exhibition of original works and media in the heart of Oxford, fittingly the city where Radiohead formed 40 years ago.
Organised release-by-release, the exhibition guides you through the making of every album cover, the thought process behind them, and takes you on Yorke and Donwood’s journey as you witness the artistic evolution of one of the most important bands since The Beatles.
With the band known for their innovative experimental style, it is only fitting that the exhibition shows this off, and it does this perfectly. From displays of unorthodox mixed media processes, to the stories behind what shaped the pieces themselves, the Ashmolean Museum’s upper floor is packed with memorabilia, soundscapes, and projections.
A highlight of the exhibition has to be the second room, which holds three walls of floor-to-ceiling 12” album covers. Until you see it in person in such a way, it is hard to comprehend the sheer quantity of the group’s output.
What makes this exhibition truly special is the addition of an extra dimension, done so by the scattering of lyric sheets, sketchbook pages, and most excitingly the inclusion of snippets of tracks to listen to throughout the rooms. While seeing the artwork and sketches in person is an experience in itself, a secondary layer is added by listening to a soundscape as you read the concepts and notes behind the album you’re listening to.
Particularly with their more experimental albums (such as 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool), this effect was incredible, and served as a fantastic reminder that art is not one-dimensional, and that the music and art the band create are equally important in the development of the desired effect.
As Stanley Donwood put it in the exhibition: “I find it hard to look at these without hearing the music. It’s encoded.”
This Is What You Get is the perfect example of an exhibition curated for fans, yet accessible to anyone who isn’t too familiar with the work of the band. Whether you’re a diehard fan or listen to the hits, there is guaranteed to be something in the Ashmolean which takes your interest- even if it’s a set of alternative cover artworks or a concept which never made it past vetting. It is an undoubtedly wonderful experience to visit, and filled from bottom to top with creativity and passion- serving not only to reinforce the artistic relevance of Radiohead 30 years down the line, but also to remind their listeners of the equal importance of the art as well as the music.
Words by George Connell
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