Celebrated photographer Paul Phung was commissioned to re-interpret Tibor’s iconic nature photographs for the launch of Tibor Reich: Art of Colour and Texture publication at Margaret Howell, Wigmore Street. Taken in the Cotswolds, an area where Tibor drew most of his inspiration from, these photographs, like Tibor’s, study nature’s colour and texture which was Tibor’s starting point for his designs.
Last night was the official launch of our book, ‘Tibor Reich: The Art of Colour and Texture.’ Never ones to let the opportunity for a party pass us by, we raised a toast to the fruits of our collaborative labours. The team at Margaret Howell were kind enough to host the event at their lovely shop – a spacious spot in Marylebone. The company are dedicated to supporting timeless British design and with the signature minimalist backdrop, their shop was the perfect setting to show off the textures of Tibor. With walls draped in striking fabrics, with our six different covers on full display, it was indeed a night of colour and texture. Serenaded by sweet jazz piano, guests enjoyed dining on nibbles from La Fromagerie washed down with French champagne. A big thank you to all those who came along to celebrate.
Commissioned by the Whitworth for the Tibor Reich retrospective this twenty metre wall titled ‘Diary of a Designer’ traces Tibor’s development as a designer and photographer. These photographs, taken between 1950 and 1960, parallel his success as one of the foremost textile designers of the period. Tibor was known for his pioneering use of photography in design, in particular a process he trademarked called ‘Fotexur’, ‘Fo’ for photography and ‘Texur’ for texture.
A keen amateur photographer, it was during a family trip to St Mawes, Cornwall in 1950 that Tibor started capturing nature on film. Inspired by the textures of the rocks and patterns found on the beach, Tibor’s early albums juxtapose family snaps with studies of natural forms.
On a rainy night in Manchester, we gathered at the Whitworth for our opening of Tibor Reich; A Retrospective. Voted Museum of the Year in 2015 and with it’s newly renovated extension, we were honoured to be selected to exhibit in the Whitworth’s striking new space. A much awaited retrospective as well as a long overdue Tibor family reunion, this was a night to celebrate! When we weren’t busy admiring the striking fish centrepiece and wall of multicoloured textured swatches, we enjoyed sipping on wine and chatting with the likes of Maria Balshaw and Mary Shoeser. With a lovely speech from the Whitworth’s Jennifer Harris, after a few hours of merriment the bar ran dry and it was time to go home and sleep, dreaming happily of ‘Raw Coral’ and ‘California’.
