Since an early age Alan Male always wanted “to do the pictures that went in books”, but this was not just it. In 1996, after almost thirty years working as a national and international successful illustrator mainly in London and New York, Alan completed a research higher degree at the Royal College of Art in which he emphasized an interface between scientific research and illustration practice.
The theme of this research was the evolution and origin of life and subsequently resulted in a major ongoing project with Yale University, The Origin of Life: A Visual Narrative, which involves the creation and interpretation of new knowledge related to elements of evolution and paleoecology.
“This will involve the visualisation and interpretation of new knowledge related to palaeontology and in this instance, the reconstruction of fauna/organisms, their remains recently discovered in geologic deposits from the early Ordovician Period (500mya). The eventual outcome will result in international publication and an exhibition in the USA, at Yale University Art Gallery, probably at the Society of Illustrators (New York) and then at the New York State Museum,” said Alan during my interview.
Books
As a result of his research Professor Male’s next publications, Species: Origin and Evolution and The Peoples Art: Illustration, Culture, Society, currently in production.
Alan’s latest book, Illustration: A Theoretical and Contextual Perspective (2007), was Shortlisted for a British Book Design and Production Award in 2008 and it is published internationally in 30 different languages.
In this highly-acclaimed book Alan began to fully examined the measure of contextual operation regarding contemporary visual communication practice and provides an exemplification of theoretical and intellectual processes necessary for the production of accomplished work.
The House of Illustration & Illustration, Culture, Society
Male has been appointed as a consultant for a major initiative to establish a new UK based national research centre, archive and gallery in London. The association will have society status and it is due to open in 2012.
He is also the conduit for research that is to be published and peer reviewed in the journal of the Association of Illustrators, Varoom. This is collaboration between art institutions in the UK and USA.
Journey
Alan went to art school in Somerset and after a foundation year studied graphic design he graduated in 1972. He then went to London and worked as a visualizer and freelance illustrator. He first illustrated a children’s book entitled, The King Who Spoke to Witches- an interpretation of Macbeth.
“I think the decision to go to art school in the first place was the most important. I would most certainly be extremely unfulfilled if I hadn’t. It provided me with a broad outlook, a creative attitude and the ability to consider and think of everything “outside the box”,” professor Male said.
All of Alan’s research and authorship work is in the public domain, subjected to review also in an international context. This includes book authorship, exhibitions, consultancy, papers, magazine/journal commentaries and web/live media.
It would be simply impossible to mention all of Alan’s awards, smaller projects in which he has and is currently involved, clients he is worked for, collaborations, lectures and conferences he has given along his flourishing career. But what is certain is that Alan Male’s academic and ingenious natural work is here to stay and to be remembered as the work of one of the fathers of neo-vanguardist Romantic illustration.
Sources:
- Alan Male The Origin of Life: A Visual Narrative An On-going Research Project ,1996- to date.
- Alan Male Research: The Future ‘Varoom’, The Journal of the Association of Illustrators, Spring 2010.
- Alan Male Extreme Makeover Yale University Alumni Magazine, May- June, 2008
- Alan Male Illustration: A Theoretical and Contextual Perspective AVA Academia, 2007
Miriam Moreno Perez - Miriam Moreno Perez is an author, a journalist and a teacher. She has written several collections of contemporary and historical fiction ...
