Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell – Wish You Were Here (1975)
Date
circa 1975
Credits
- Storm Thorgerson 3 Designer
- Aubrey Powell 2 Designer
- Hipgnosis 3 Designer
Format
- Album Art 667
The cover of Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd’s 1975 album, remains one of the most striking examples of conceptual rock design. Created by the London-based design collective Hipgnosis, led by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell, the image depicts two businessmen shaking hands—one literally in flames. Photographed at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, the shot used real stuntmen, evoking the idea of people concealing their emotions for fear of being “burned.” The image symbolized the album’s central theme of absence, a concept Thorgerson derived from the band’s lyrics and emotional tone.
