A new exhibition showcasing the work of George Hardie, the designer who created the cover of Led Zeppelin’s debut album, will open in London in September.

The exhibition, “George Hardie: Archaeology in Observation”, will be held at the Wiedemann Lampe Gallery at 41 Hoxton Square from September 12 to September 20 to coincide with the London Design Festival.

LedZepNews understands that the exhibition will include a drawing by Hardie of the design for Led Zeppelin’s first album which was likely produced as he worked on the image.

The announcement of the exhibition says it will include “previously unseen pieces” such as a rejected Bob Marley album cover.

A Russian cover of Led Zeppelin’s debut album will also be shown along with the covers of Presence and The Song Remains The Same.

Following his design of Led Zeppelin’s debut album, Hardie went to work for design firm Hipgnosis which created the covers for Houses of the Holy, The Song Remains the Same, Presence, In Through The Out Door and Coda.

The exhibition is free to attend and will be open from 12pm to 7pm on weekdays and from 12pm to 6pm on weekends.

Hardie’s original 1969 cover art for Led Zeppelin’s debut album sold at auction for $325,000 on June 18, 2020. He created the image while still a student at the Royal College of Art in London and was paid £60 for his work.

The artwork was rediscovered when Hardie was clearing out his studio. “It was unsullied, in a clean folder on which one of my partners had written years ago, ‘G’s pension fund,’” Hardie told auction house Christie’s which sold the artwork.

Wiedemann Lampe, co-founder of brand consultancy Wiedemann Lampe which is hosting the exhibition on the ground floor of its London office, visited Hardie’s home in Westbourne, West Sussex to curate the show.

“Hardie has shaped the visual culture of music, publishing and design,” Lampe said. “By combining wit, precision and exceptional graphic clarity, he has created some of the most iconic and memorable visuals. Every piece of his work is an expression of the way he sees and observes the world, and in this exhibition, this is reflected right back at the visitors. It’s so important to me that people get to uncover who George really is and see the true depth and impact of his work and career.”

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