30 record sleeves by Fela Kuti’s cover designer have been brought together in a spectacular catalogue.
The King of Covers is the concluding part of the month long Lemi Ghariokwu exhibition that ran at the Amsterdam Rush Hour store between 1 and 28 November, 2023. The exhibition was an initiative by Afrodelic in collaboration with ZAM.
The 30 sleeves that were at display are now nicely bundled into this full colour 70 page booklet. Each sleeve comes with a story by Saffa Khalil, who analysed the covers, listened to the music and talked to Lemi. Saffa mentions: “As you flip through each page, listen to the album(s) and fully immerse yourselves in the histories and stories narrated visually and sonically, I hope you uncover more about Afrobeat’s influence and the richness that African musical history offers us.”
The booklet is preceded by an essay from 2013, first published in Granta entitled ‘A Dynasty of Albums Cover Art’ in which the artist talks about his friendship with Fela Kuti, the social and political situation in Nigeria at the time the cover art was created and of course takes a closer look at some of the landmark covers from the Fela catalogue.
Book design is by Atelier Estiva. Graphic Design Mauricio Kuhlman.
ISBN 9789090380254
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