GLOBAL – FRANCE, FEBRUARY 15, 2013 – As part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced an exclusive collaboration with legendary artist Gerald Scarfe.
Scarfe has been commissioned to create artworks to brand the city of Cannes during the Festival. These will be revealed to the public in France when the Festival begins on June 16.
"The artist was a clear match to help the Festival celebrate 60 years of creativity. Not only has Gerald Scarfe been working professionally since the very earliest years of Cannes Lions, but throughout his career he’s been pushing boundaries, a quality very much identified with our industry and celebrated at the Festival," said Philip Thomas, Lions Festivals CEO. "As part of our anniversary celebrations, we wanted to highlight the importance of creativity, which is at the heart of Cannes Lions, by having something unique and iconic commissioned befitting this special milestone in the history of the Festival."
"I’ve worked in the field of creativity for 60 years myself – and I’ve always loved drawing animals – so I was delighted to be part of this prestigious festival, particularly as it too is celebrating its 60th anniversary," says Scarfe.
To mark the start of the collaboration, Cannes Lions TV has produced a short film in which the artist discusses his career and inspiration.
Scarfe established himself as a satirical cartoonist during the early 1960s, working for Punch magazine and Private Eye. He has had many works exhibited worldwide, most recently in the Czech Republic, and more than 50 one-man shows. He has designed sets and costumes for plays, operas and musicals in London, Houston, Los Angeles and Detroit. His film work includes designing and directing the animation for Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’, and Disney’s ‘Hercules’. Scarfe has written and directed many live action and documentary films for the BBC and Channel 4 and has published many books of his work.
He has been political cartoonist for the Sunday Times for 46 years, and his work regularly appears in many periodicals, including The New Yorker, Vogue and Tattler. He has recently completed the title sequence for a new TV series of "Yes, Prime Minister" and is currently designing animated sequences for a documentary film with Jonathan Franzen. Scarfe was awarded the CBE in 2008.
All delegates will receive a commemorative t-shirt designed by Scarfe. For further information on the 60th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity or to register to attend, please visit >www.canneslions.com.
