In February 2016, CIA and Graeae launched Reframing the Myth at The Guardian’s exhibition space in King’s Cross. CIA has partnered 40 of its illustrators with 40 of Graeae Theatre Company’s artists to explore their mutual creativity and produce artwork inspired by the experiences of the company’s actors, dancers, writers and directors.
The exhibition interpreted the outstanding artistic achievements of the artists that have worked with Graeae over the last 35 years, while also highlighting the challenges that members of the D/deaf and disabled community face due to the governments ongoing changes to the benefits system.
CIA artist Sir Peter Blake, himself a patron of Graeae, produced an original artwork illustrating the Greek Myth that gave the theatre company its name – a story of resourcefulness. This artwork was animated by CIA animation house Dog & Rabbit.
About CIA
Founded in 1983, the Central Illustration Agency has been representing some of the world’s leading commercial artists for over thirty years. Working extensively throughout the publishing, design and advertising community our illustrators have been responsible for many of the most memorable book covers and billboard campaigns of the last few decades. Their previous whole-agency collaboration, with the V&A Museum of Childhood, won the Creative Circle gold award for the best use of illustration. www.centralillustration.com
“This was a rather extraordinary and unexpected collaboration but one that felt very right; a beautiful creative exchange and sharing of human experiences. It was hugely exciting seeing how individual stories from our collective of artists became glorious new works of art.”
Jenny Sealey, Artistic Director and CEO, Graeae Theatre Company
“We were originally introduced to Graeae by Peter Blake, one of the company’s patrons and friend of former Graeae collaborator, the much missed Ian Dury. When CIA moved to Shoreditch a few years ago, we became neighbours of the theatre company and felt there was a wonderful opportunity to create something unique together. Our illustrators are used to working within the formal structures of the publishing, design and advertising sectors so the experience of joining forces with Graeae’s artists has been a liberating and fascinating process.”
Ben Cox, Director, CIA
