UPDATE: Due to popular demand this show has been extended to Thursday 2nd April.
From surreal desert landscapes to beds floating in the sky, the work of Storm Thorgerson shaped how we see music. Best known as co-founder of Hipgnosis and later founder of Storm Studios, Storm created some of the most enduring album imagery of the 20th century. His covers for Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Muse and many others didn’t simply illustrate music - they expanded it.
Storm believed in making the impossible real. Rather than rely on digital manipulation, he preferred to build, construct and photograph ambitious physical sets (often in extreme conditions) in pursuit of what he called images that were, “normal… but not.
EYE OF THE STORM at The Long Gallery brings together a collection of these iconic designs as limited edition fine art prints and original works, alongside rare studio props, some shown publicly for the first time.
The exhibition is in collaboration with Storm Studios and runs from Mon 23 February - Thurs 19 March (Update: Extended to 2nd April) at The Long Gallery in Tilford offering collectors and music lovers the opportunity to experience these legendary works beyond the record sleeve.
Meet the Directors of Storm Studios
On Thursday 12 March, we hosted a special evening at The Long Gallery, welcoming guests for the Private View of EYE OF THE STORM, followed by a Q&A with the directors of Storm Studios.
Peter Curzon, Dan Abbott and Rupert Truman - who worked closely with Storm and continue his creative legacy today shared firsthand insights into how some of the most iconic album covers in music history were conceived and brought to life.
From the theatrical nature of the photoshoots to the stories behind each project, the talk offered a fascinating glimpse into the studio’s process and philosophy.
Following the success of the evening, we’re pleased to confirm that Storm Studios will return to The Long Gallery for future talks.
Here's a little about each of the Storm Studios directors:
Peter Curzon
Peter Curzon has worked in the music industry for over 40 years. After graduating in graphic design, he worked with Keith Breeden at DKB, designing album covers for bands including ABC, The Communards and Gang of Four.
It was during this time that he met and collaborated with Storm Thorgerson. In 1991, he joined forces with Storm, helping to establish what would become Storm Studios.
Peter has designed and art directed covers for artists including Pink Floyd, Muse, Alan Parsons, Anthrax, Biffy Clyro, Bruce Dickinson, The Mars Volta, Audioslave, The Cranberries and The Steve Miller Band. Beyond album design, his work spans theatre, websites, festivals, racing cars and even The Division Bell airship.
He is co-author of Mind Over Matter – The Images of Pink Floyd and has designed numerous books including The Gathering Storm – The Album Art of Storm Thorgerson and Hipgnosis | Portraits.
Peter was Graphic Designer / Art Director for the hugely successful Their Mortal Remains – The Pink Floyd Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum and designed the 50th Anniversary logo for The Dark Side of the Moon.
Following Storm’s death in 2013, Peter continues to lead Storm Studios alongside Dan Abbott and Rupert Truman, creating work that remains unmistakably rooted in Storm’s visionary ethos.
Dan Abbott
Designer, illustrator and self-described “manic ideas-machine,” Dan Abbott is one third of Storm Studios and has been creating artwork for music since the mid-1980s.
Beginning with fanzines and independent bands, Dan moved on to larger projects in the 1990s before joining Storm Studios in 2001. Initially tasked with developing concept sketches to present new cover ideas to bands and labels, he soon progressed to generating original concepts and art directing major photoshoots.
Dan was deeply involved in nearly every Pink Floyd project that passed through the studio and produced hundreds of concept drawings for them. The studio’s collaborators also include Bob Dylan, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse, The Mars Volta, The Offspring and many more.
Designing with Storm was an immersive and intense process - a tightly knit creative hive driven by a desire to make impossible images tangible. Dan absorbed Storm’s distinctive aesthetic and continues to push visual experimentation forward.
Based in Berlin, Dan produces at least one new artwork every day and co-hosts the Berlin radio show “Begilufin,” reflecting his ongoing fascination with the connection between sound and image.
Rupert Truman
Rupert Truman is a photographer and director of Storm Studios who worked alongside Storm Thorgerson for 25 years. He shot iconic artwork for bands including Pink Floyd, Muse, Biffy Clyro, Steve Miller, Ian Dury, 10cc, The Mars Volta, The Offspring, Phish, Shpongle, Audioslave and The Cranberries.
After developing a passion for photography as a teenager, Rupert studied Geology before committing fully to photography. His editorial work includes commissions for The Architect’s Journal, a book on Gaudí’s Sagrada Família for Phaidon Press, and extensive work for the National Trust.
He joined Storm Studios in the 1990s and captured nearly all of the studio’s photography until Storm’s passing in 2013. Since then, he has continued to collaborate with Aubrey Powell on Pink Floyd projects including The Later Years box set and the Animals 2018 Remix.
Rupert also shot and produced the film Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd (2023), bringing Storm’s world full circle through cinema.
Experience the Legacy
EYE OF THE STORM offers a rare opportunity to experience Storm Thorgerson’s work as collectible fine art.
You can view the full catalogue of works here
Visit EYE OF THE STORM until 2nd April at The Long Gallery, Tilford, Surrey
