Dr Russell Bestley

Overview
In Detail

Course Director MA Graphic Design

Research Fields

Punk
Graphic Design
Popular music
Information Design
Research Methodologies

Biography

Russ Bestley is a Principal Lecturer at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, where he is currently Course Director for MA Graphic Design. He is engaged in teaching and learning across the Postgraduate programme together with Research Degree supervision.

His areas of specialist interest include graphic design research methods, information design and British popular culture, in particular late Twentieth Century popular and alternative music. He has co-authored and designed a number of publications, including Visual Research: An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design (AVA Academia 2004, revised 2nd edition 2011), Up Against the Wall: International Poster Design (RotoVision 2002) and Experimental Layout (RotoVision 2001), and has contributed articles to publications including Eye, Zed, Émigré, The National Grid and the Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern World. His most recent book, The Art of Punk, was published by Omnibus Press (UK), Voyageur (North America), Hugo et Compagnie (France) and Hannibal Verlag Gmbh (Germany) in 2012. He is also on the editorial board of the academic journal Punk and Post Punk, published by Intellect Ltd.

Recent research and selected outputs

Books: Author

The Art of Punk. Published by Omnibus Press (UK), Voyageur (North America), Hannibal Verlag Gmbh (Germany) and Hugo et Compagnie (France), September 2012. Additional contributions by Alex Ogg. ISBN 978.1.78038.130.5

Books: Author/Designer

Visual Research: An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design, 2nd Edition. Jointly authored with Ian Noble, published by AVA Academia September 2011. ISBN: 9782940411603, eISBN: 9782940447268. www.avabooks.ch

Books: Designer

Independence Days: The Story Of UK Independent Record Labels. Design of book, written by Alex Ogg, published by Cherry Red Books September 2009. ISBN 9781901447415
Ian Noble, Picture Perfect. Co-design of book written by Ian Noble, published by RotoVision Autumn 2003. ISBN 2-88046-754-3. www.rotovision.com

Chapter in Book

2012: 'Punk & New Wave' in Classic Rock Posters - Sixty Years Of Posters And Flyers: 1952 To 2012, eds. Farren, Mick; Loren, Dennis. pp.130-163. Published by Omnibus Press. ISBN: 978-1780384528

Published Articles: Author

Punk & Post Punk Journal Vol.1 No.1. Paper entitled From ‘London’s Burning’ to ‘Sten Guns in Sunderland’, published by Intellect Ltd, Bristol. Volume 1, Issue 1 published Autumn 2011.
The National Grid Magazine No.5, New Zealand. Interview discussion with Wayne Daly on the subject of UK punk singles, entitled We’re So Bored With London, Part II, 22pp. ISSN 1177-2468, published Spring 2009.
Spin/3 Magazine: Action Time Vision. Collaboration with London design group Spin, with contributing essays by Russ Bestley and Malcolm Garrett. ISSN 1752-6442, published Spring 2008.
The National Grid Magazine No.4, New Zealand. Interview discussion with Wayne Daly on the subject of UK punk singles, entitled We’re So Bored With London, 22pp. ISSN 1177-2468, published Spring 2008.
Punk Music definition, Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World. Contribution to Encyclopedia (750 words), published Autumn 2006.
The Visual – Narrative Matrix Publication. Publication of conference proceedings, Southampton, Autumn 2000. ISBN 1 874011 095 (pp127-131)
History article “Punk Uncovered” Eye Magazine. Article written jointly with Ian Noble, entitled Punk Uncovered: An unofficial history of provincial opposition, published in Eye magazine No.33, Autumn 1999.
Agenda article, Eye Magazine. Co-written with Ian Noble. Words Fail Us, published in Eye magazine No.32, Summer 1999.
Zed Magazine issue No. 5, “Beyond the Object”. Article relating to We Interrupt the Programme published in Zed Magazine, USA Autumn1998 - ISBN 1098-8513.
Cactus Magazine - issue number 15, “Parasite”. Article on determinism and design, included in Cactus networking magazine Spring 1997.
Zed magazine No.3, “Design and Morality” Design, Intervention and the Situationist Approach, Autumn 1996. ISBN 1-885801-02-5

Exhibitions

'Hitsville UK: Punk in the Faraway Towns'. Exhibition of punk graphics, including print material and interactive work. Some of this material is collected online at www.hitsvilleuk.com, together with downloads of related publications and an interactive timeline of UK punk single sleeves. Exhibitions took place at the following venues:-

Post Punk Performance Conference, University of Leeds, September 2009.
Rebellion Punk Festival, Winter Gardens, Blackpool August 2007.
British Film Institute, London, June 2007.
Millais Gallery, Southampton April to May 2007.
Research Gallery, London College of Communication, October to December 2006.

Conferences

Post Punk Performance Conference, University of Leeds September 2009. From “London’s Burning” to “Sten Guns in Sunderland”. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/paci
Panel member, public discussion, British Film Institute, 9th June 2007. "Anarchy in the UK: London Vs. The Faraway Towns"
Guest Speaker, Southampton Institute, January 2005, November 2006, May 2007, May 2008 “Punk Rock and Graphic Design in the Faraway Towns, 1977-84”
Guest Speaker, Institute of Contemporary British History, May 2004. “If you're going to reminisce, then you need to do it properly.” Punk diaspora in the UK, 1977-84. Lecture presentation plus discussion.
Declarations Conference, Concordia University, Montreal, October 2001. We Interrupt the Programme public lecture, atelier workshops and exhibition – project part-funded by the British Council, Concordia University and LCP research funding.
No Future? Punk 2001 Conference, September 2001. Joint paper with Ian Noble, University of Wolverhampton. www.wlv.ac.uk/no-future

Peer esteem

Editor: Punk & Post Punk Journal. Joint editor, with Philip Kiszely (Leeds University), Alex Ogg (The Society of Authors), and Roger Sabin (Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design), published by Intellect Ltd, Bristol.