The Barney Bubbles Estate’s Instagram feed has now gathered more than 5,000 followers and is collecting more every day.

Presenting a regularly updated and rich mix of design history and ephemera, @barney_bubbles_estate has great engagement. Followers keenly contributing comments and views on the examples of the late graphic artist’s exemplary body of work, from art student sketches to promo videos to rare posters to record sleeve extravaganzas.

The account also provides news on developments in the wild world of Barney Bubbles; soon there will be trails for a series of major forthcoming collaborations with contemporary artists and designers.

If you haven’t already join the fun by adding @barney_bubbles_estate today.

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++ The front panel of the Space Ritual tour programme/poster ++

Just as he did for Ian Dury & The Blockheads and Elvis Costello and the Attractions half-a-decade later, Barney Bubbles produced a fold-out programme/poster for Hawkwind’s 1972 Space Ritual tour.

++ Opened out to reveal this portrait of saxophonist Nik Turner and the start of Robert Calvert’s essay ++

As well as Bubbles’ striking illustrations and graphics, the exercise included photography of the group’s main members and an entertaining if rambling sci-fi/semi-fictional account of the group’s activities by poet, lyricist and performer Robert Calvert.

++ Unfolded the poster measures 56 x 39 cm ++

Calvert, Bubbles and other contributors such as writer Michael Moorcock received tips of the hat in the credits.

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++ Writer/musician Elizabeth Nelson with her copy of The Wild World of Barney Bubbles courtesy @paranoid_style on Instagram ++

++ Matthew Higgs, director/chief curator of White Columns Gallery in NYC, posted this to his IG account @matthewhiggs2015 ++

The Wild World of Barney Bubbles is published in the US today and it’s already making waves.

Writer/musician Elizabeth Nelson, whose band The Paranoid Style has a tribute to the late graphic artist on their forthcoming album, says: ‘It’s a visual feast and a must-have for fans of Bubbles, Stiff Records, album art, typography, design, music, beauty and inspiration writ large. Go get one wherever you buy literature!’

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Tags: Bar/None Records, Elizabeth Nelson, Los SAngeles Review of Books, Matthew Higgs, The Paranoid Style, TikTok, White Columns

++ A Box of Bubbles is housed in this impressive 25 x 30cm casing decorated with one of Barney Bubbles’ most familiar artworks, for Ian Dury & The Blockheads’ 1978 single Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick ++

++ The box contains a copy of The Wild World of Barney Bubbles with a different hard cover jacket from the regular version ++

Very exciting – the first advance copy of A Box of Bubbles has arrived… and it looks amazing.

++ The boxed version of Wild World also has different end-papers based on patterns produced for Elvis Costello & The Attractions 1979 LP Armed Forces ++

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Tags: bookshop.org, International Times

A new addition to the Barney Bubbles Shop is the 1964 design for Twickenham Tech art school r&b group The Muleskinners, whose line-up included the late, great Ian McLagan of the Small Faces and The Faces.

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Tags: British Poster Award, Ian McLagan, Mods & Rockers

We’re excited to announce the new range of bookmarks and postcards as well as a sticker for the Barney Bubbles Shop.

++ The seven postcards each measure 10.5 x 15cm ++

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Tags: Camden Art Centre, The Fandangoe Kid

Barney Bubbles first produced the the so-called Ridiculous Mask as an analogue interactive element of music press advertising to promote the Ridiculous Roadshow, Hawkwind’s tour of the UK in the winter of 1973-4.

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Tags: Paradox, Ridiculous Roadshow, You'd Better Believe It

We’re currently sampling for the first apparel collection to appear for sale on the soon-come Barney Bubbles online shop.

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Tags: Darling let's have Another Baby, Do It Yourself, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Johnny Moped, NME, NME Book of Modern Music, Punch The Clock, Tommy The Talking Toolbox

Welcome to the all-new Barney Bubbles website, the online celebration of the late graphics genius now recognised as one of the world’s greatest designers, particularly for music; his wily and constantly innovative approaches reverberate through the wider fields of art, design and visual culture to this day.

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