LSO 2018/19: New Landscapes conducted by Sir Simon Rattle

Following Sir Simon Rattle’s critically-acclaimed first season at the London Symphony Orchestra in 2017, coinciding with the launch of a new visual identity, we were asked to create a series of posters to promote the 2018/19 season of the London Symphony Orchestra – the second under Rattle’s direction. The posters were to build on the new identity, using motion capture data in collaboration with artists to communicate the emotion and experience of an LSO performance, as well as reflect their reputation for being uniquely forward thinking and innovative in the classical music world. In addition, this year the posters had to communicate the theme of the programme ‘Music of the Land’ – featuring pieces inspired by landscapes.

Rather than the clichéd ‘rolling hills’ landscapes that have long been a visual shorthand for classical music (but suggest a predictable and clichéd form of the music) we chose to imagine new ones. Motion data captured in 360° was transformed into abstract land forms. Their formation is guided by the conductor’s baton, and the terrain reacts to the intensity of the orchestra’s performance. Stills taken from animations form the basis of the poster campaign, carefully selected to create a series of landscapes that when displayed together create a continuous joined landscape. Combining with expressive typography capturing the movement of the conductor, the posters showcase events featured in the programme.