Vic Fair’s artwork for The Man Who Fell To Earth and Performance are part of an exhibition at the Highgate arts centre
From his iconic image of David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth to his illustration for Mick Jagger's screen debut, posters by the late Highgate resident Vic Fair go on display at Lauderdale House.
Born in 1938, Fair was a designer and illustrator whose film artwork ranged from the swinging 60s to the late 80s when the industry moved away from illustrating by hand.
His trademark watercolours often using reflection and geometric shapes, graced the posters of a variety of films including 1970 gangster thriller Performance in which Jagger made his acting debut, Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 1981 football drama Escape to Victory featuring Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and Pele, Nic Roeg's Castaway and Zefirelli's La Traviata.
Original conceptual pieces for his iconic 1976 poster of The Man Who Fell to Earth are among 20 posters on display at the Highgate arts centre until October 28.
Fair died in 2017 and Curator Joel Bonne said they showed the late designer's skilled and detailed draughtsmanship: "I was fortunate to have met Vic Fair at a film poster exhibition I held on the Archway Road a few years ago. I found him to be incredibly modest and down to earth.
"His tremendous talent and ability to conjure up eye catching designs was truly incredible considering he had little formal art training. His work compelled people towards it, primarily because it was radically different from anything else at the time.
"Many of Fair's designs do not resemble a typical film poster. Much of his work could have been considered as fine art. Castaway and La Traviata immediately come to mind.
"He had a knack of going against the grain, not afraid to push boundaries and that gained him attention and respect."
"Vic Fair lived quietly in Highgate Village for many years. The Exhibition will finally allow the public a rare opportunity to see a number of his original works together for the very first time."
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