End of a Century

Run Wrake's career as an animator and graphic designer was distinguished by an engagement with music, from the videos he produced for the Gang of Four and Howie B. to visuals he created for the live shows of U2 and the Rolling Stones.

Between 1988 and 2000, he illustrated album reviews for the NME, turning his talent to documenting one of the most exciting periods in pop music history. Drawing on his influences - early hand-drawn animation, Dada, Pop Art and punk graphics - Run Wrake developed a unique, bold and contemporary style to capture a vibrant musical culture with a perceptiveness and wit that was all his own.

The illustrations collected here are a testament to the versatility of Run Wrake's art: End of a Century pictures musicians, good and bad, from the heady days of the nineties, from guitar-driven grunge and Britpop acts to ageing folk musicians and manufactured pop stars.