The University of Portsmouth Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries recently announced that Carl Frederik Wigernes, was awarded this year’s Guildhall Graduate Award. His prize is an exhibition of his final major project on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course at Portsmouth Guildhall. The exhibition, located in the basement art space, is entitled Petroliana: Celebrating the Lost Artform.
Petroliana
The work on show is a large set of collectible posters celebrating the incredible craftsmanship and attention to form and functionality in vintage petrol pumps (see some examples of the work HERE). The works are collectible items for the avid petroliana collector as well as people with a keen interest for design. The sets are comprised of nine vintage and one modern pump, as well as seven globes and two signs. The work mainly focuses on the period of the 1900s-1940s and the pumps featured are split in to sets of three, each with a different key feature, whether it be the early 1900 hand cranked pumps, or the Art Deco inspired designs from the 1930s.
Lifesize
Predominantly featured in the exhibition are sets of individually printed replicas showing the exact size of the globes and pumps researched, giving a fascinating insight into what they would have looked like if you had pulled up at a gas station in the English countryside in the 1920s. Accompanying the posters is a book which ties the work together, featuring information about the history of English pumps at the time, as well as an explanation of the design styles of the periods. The body of work analyses, interprets and reveals each of the defining elements regarding each period and pump.
The exhibition opened last week and will run through until the 28th of September and is free to view. See more of Carl’s work on his website:
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