Vaughan Oliver (12 September 1957 – 29 December 2019) was a British graphic designer based in Epsom, Surrey. Oliver was best known for his work with graphic design studios 23 Envelope and v23. Both studios maintained a close relationship with record label 4AD between 1982 and 1998 and gave distinct visual identities for the 4AD releases by many bands, including Mojave 3, Lush, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders, This Mortal Coil, Pale Saints, Pixies, Modern English, and Throwing Muses. Oliver also designed record sleeves for such artists as David Sylvian, The Golden Palominos, and Bush.
Early life and education
Oliver was born in Sedgefield, County Durham on 12 September 1957. He developed an interest in graphic design through his love of music, in particular the work of Roger Dean. Through his studies his interests broadened to include inspiration from the work of Salvador Dalí, Surrealism and Pop artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol.
Career
23 Envelope consisted of Oliver (graphic design and typography) and Nigel Grierson (photography). Together, they created the artwork for almost all 4AD releases until 1987. Grierson left 23 Envelope in 1988. During the early years of 4AD, Oliver was credited with giving the bands and the label an identity through his visual language, despite their adherence to different genres.
Pixies
Oliver produced the artwork for the Pixies' entire discography during his lifetime, including the albums Come On Pilgrim (1987), Surfer Rosa (1988), Doolittle (1989), Bossanova (1990), Trompe Le Monde (1991), Indie Cindy (2014), Head Carrier (2016) and Beneath the Eyrie (2019), as well as numerous singles and EPs. In 2009, Oliver designed the Pixies' Minotaur, a 26-pound box set consisting of the band's first five albums, a 96-page fine art book and a 52-page photo book. Oliver stated that, with each Pixies release, he had looked to achieve "a sense of continuity" within the catalog but also employ a "fresh approach", and that his ethos "was always about building individual identities for bands."
Exhibitions and publications
In February 1990, Oliver was asked to bring together the work he had done so far for 4AD to be shown for the first time in an art gallery, the Espace Graslin in Nantes, France. The exhibition gathered so much media exposure throughout Europe that it subsequently moved to the Parc de la Villette in Paris.
In 1994, many of those who had collaborated with Oliver over the previous decade contributed to an illustrated catalogue for the retrospective exhibition of his work held at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, This Rimy River. Recollections of the v23 design experience were provided by individuals such as design writer Rick Poynor, and art critic Ian McKay who frames Oliver's work in a fine art context.
In 2000, a major monograph, Vaughan Oliver: Visceral Pleasures, by Rick Poynor was published by Booth-Clibborn Editions. In 2005, to mark 25 years of 4AD records, Oliver produced a limited-edition publication of his poster designs, with a second edition published in 2007 to coincide with a solo exhibition of his posters staged at Kingston University's Stanley Picker Gallery in London. In 2011, Oliver was awarded an honorary Master of Arts from the University for the Creative Arts, where he taught on the Epsom campus as a visiting professor. Two books of work were published. The family lived in Epsom, next door to the former home of artist Aubrey Beardsley.
In addition to design, Oliver's other interests included football. Oliver was a qualified FA coach, He designed the sleeve of their 1992 FA Cup single and had been approached by the club to redesign their crest.
Publications
Album art discography
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Artist
! scope="col" | Album
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref
|-
! scope="row" | 1981
| rowspan="2" | Modern English || Mesh & Lace ||
|-
! scope="row" | 1982
| After the Snow ||
|-
! scope="row" | 1983
| Cocteau Twins || Head Over Heels ||
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| 1984
| This Mortal Coil || It'll End in Tears ||
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| 1985
| Clan of Xymox || Clan of Xymox ||
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| 1987
| Pixies || Come on Pilgrim ||
|-
| Xymox || Twist of Shadows ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | Lush || Mad Love ||
|-
| Sweetness and Light ||
|-
| Ultra Vivid Scene || Joy 1967–1990 ||