Pink Floyd Artist Dies, Designer of 'Dark Side of the Moon' Mourned
Strom Thorgerson, who designed iconic cover art for several Pink Floyd albums has died on Wednesday.
Among his many collaborations with Pink Floyd, Thorgerson designed the distinctive cover of 1973's best-selling album, Dark Side of the Moon.
The graphic artist died at age 69 after battling cancer, according to management for Pink Floyd.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
A teenage friend of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, Thorgerson began his career as an artist after receiving a Master of Arts degree. He was a member of the graphic art group Hipgnosis before he formed his own design studio called Storm Studios.
The English artist was known for work that included surreal elements, which he once explained.
"I like photography because it is a reality medium, unlike drawing which is unreal," said Thorgerson speaking to Music Box in 2004. "I like to mess with reality … to bend reality. Some of my works beg the question of is it real or not?"
Perhaps Thorgerson's most renowned design, the cover of Dark Side of the Moon, featured an illustration of light being refracted through a prism.
MusicRadar.com listed the album cover, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, as the greatest album cover of all time in a poll last year.
Furthermore, "Dark Side of the Moon" is one of the best-selling albums of all time, and its cover art is world-recognized.
In addition to working with Pink Floyd, Thorgerson also worked with Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Black Sabbath, and more recently, the Cranberries and Muse.
Among his past works are the cover art for Pink Floyd's 1994 Division Bell as well as 1975's record "Wish You Were Here."
Pink Floyd released a statement mourning the loss of their longstanding friend and colleague.
"We are saddened by the news that long-time Pink Floyd graphic genius, friend and collaborator, Storm Thorgerson, has died," the group posted to their website.
Moreover, Gilmour, Pink Floyd's vocalist and guitarist, described Thorgerson as always "bursting with ideas and enthusiasm," and noted a deep-rooted grief.
"Nothing has ever really changed," the artist's longtime friend added to the online statement. "He has been a constant force in my life, both at work and in private, a shoulder to cry on and a great friend. I will miss him."
Thorgerson leaves behind his mother Vanji, a son Bill, his wife Barbie Antonis, and her two children, according to the Daily Mail.
