They worked with the legendary cover artist Storm Thorgerson, and their limited-edition album-art prints have become highly desirable collector’s items. Trei Saccone meets the father-and-daughter team behind Hypergallery…

Trei Saccone

COVER STAR

With a passion for quality and design flair, Hypergallery have become leading purveyors of limitededition album art. Yet owners Rob Smeaton and daughter Emily don’t just sell covetable prints, they also retain an emphasis on the compelling stories behind them.

“We do a limited-edition run of fine-art prints with high-quality inks not susceptible to UV light,” says Rob. “That run can span from 25-500 copies, depending on what we think the market will bear. Most of what we do is digital, as it’s got so sophisticated and perfect.”

Lifelong vinyl fan Rob places the emphasis on the quality of their prints: “This marketplace we’re in is music-related ephemera. But we’re not just about nostalgia. Yes, that’s part of it, but we’re about art.”

“We think it’s art that deserves to be celebrated,” adds Emily. Hypergallery now extends to more than 200 images. “Thse are not quick sales,” continues Rob. “Thy are quite beautiful, and we often get people returning to us to buy others.”

TAKEN BY STORM

Th idea for the business was derived through an association with legendary art director and Hipgnosis co-founder Storm Thorgerson

“Working with Storm began in 2000 and that was the defining moment for Hypergallery,” Rob explains. “Obviously, his output was so prolific from the 70s onwards and he’s considered a true genius. He believed that this is art that people should be able to buy, aside from the album covers. So he came up with 12 images of Pink Floyd covers that he wanted made into limited-edition prints.

“Over the next 13 years, until his death in 2013, we had many encounters with the enigmatic and unpredictable Storm. He could be uncommonly rude at times, whilst sometimes, he was disarmingly kind and caring, a unique, fantastic character. there’s a huge catalogue of what he left behind.

“We met Hipgnosis photographer Aubrey Powell not long after Storm, and our relationship continues to this day. We have published with him a nine-image set of some of the classic, non-Pink Floyd, Hipgnosis album covers. He has been a great supporter of Hypergallery, and we’ll work with him again later this year, for a Hipgnosis exhibition in Berlin.”