Jonathan Barnbrook

Jonathan Barnbrook (born 1966) is a British graphic designer, film maker, type designer, and typographer. He trained at Saint Martin's School of Art and at the Royal College of Art, both in London.

Work Barnbrook designed the cover artwork of David Bowie's 2002 album Heathen, where he used his 'Priori' typeface for the first type. He went on to design the sleeves for Reality (2003), The Next Day (2013) and Blackstar (2016), each with their own specially designed typography. He cites record cover artwork as an early design influence, and possibly the interest that drew him to graphic design, with other covers including ones for John Foxx, Tuxedomoon and Cult with No Name.

Barnbrook is also a type designer and has released typefaces including Bastard, Exocet, False Idol, Infidel, Moron, Newspeak, Olympukes, Sarcastic, Shock & Awe. Many have emotive and controversial titles reflecting the style and themes of Barnbrook's work. His typeface Mason, originally released as Manson, is available from Emigre. and on artwork associated with his restaurant Pharmacy.

Designers, stay away from corporations that want you to lie for them; on billboard, Las Vegas. (c) Jonathan Barnbrook, 1999 A recurring theme of Barnbrook's graphic design is the series of personal responses to political events, which often follow or develop detournement methods. He describes as a major influence to his work "an inner anger which is a response to all the unfairness that is in this world". He has stated his ambition to use "design as a weapon for social change". the American 'Professional Association for Design'.

Barnbrook has also contributed work to, and been art director of two editions of, Adbusters,

Work in Japan Barnbrook is well-known in Japan. His studio completed the logo and corporate identity for Roppongi Hills, the largest post war development in Tokyo, and also worked on the corporate identity of Mori Arts Center and Mori Art Museum. He has also worked for Shiseido.

Contemporary culture An exhibition of Barnbrook's work, entitled Friendly Fire, ran between June and October 2007 at the Design Museum in London. The exhibition included work in response to the first and second Iraq conflicts, the First Things First Manifesto, examples of Barnbrook's typography and film work. A 320pp hardback collection of his work – 'The Barnbrook Bible' – was published in 2007.