M. C. ESCHER EXHIBITION
Whilst many of these prints are familiar, the exhibition also has some exhibits inspired by Escher. He became hugely popular among the counterculture, influencing psychedelic artists, designers and musicians. Pink Floyd's Ummagumma album cover is a particularly good example. It uses Escher-like recursion - the same image appearing within itself - and it feels very much in the spirit of Escher's fascination with infinity and self-reference. Whether or not the designers were consciously referencing a specific Escher work, the connection is unmistakable. There is absolutely no debate about Escher's influence on Mott the Hoople's 1969 debut album cover, as it is a colourised reproduction of his 1943 lithograph Reptiles , for which Escher is credited. Before Mott the Hoople used Reptiles , Mick Jagger wrote to M. C. Escher asking whether he would create, or allow the use of, artwor...