A film by Eve Wood

The Beat Is The Law is a feature-length independent documentary about the journey through the 80’s and 90’s taken by a group of innovative artists living in Sheffield, a city famous for Electronic Pop but at the same time worst hit by Thatcher’s economic policies; an anarchic journey which lands them at the heart of the UK’s Dance and Britpop movements.

Through in-depth conversations, archive imagery and a stunning soundtrack the film documents the highs and lows of some of Sheffield’s most influential artists at a time when music played a key role in peoples’ lives. A time when the Beat was the Law.

The Beat Is The Law is currently in production and will have its world premiere in 2009. 

For one of the film’s pieces of artwork on sale in the shop, Phil Wolstenholme was asked, the mind behind some of the most classic Warp album designs, to come up with a little piece of computer art reflective of his time represented in the film. He came up with such an amazingly intricate and personal piece of art! Hurry up to buy! Original Giclée Print limited edition of 100 only.

Originally a Fine Art graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, Phil Wolstenholme has worked at the coalface of inventive computer art for nearly 20 years, and has inhabited a variety of strange but CGI-rich environments during that time.

Often working in conjunction with Designers Republic, Phil produced some of the most enduring sleeve images of the electronic/techno phenomenon from the early-to-mid 90’s. In his cover images for musical artists such as 808 State, The Orb, and Cabaret Voltaire, and for clients such as Warp Records, Designers Republic, Sony Japan and Strictly Rhythm, his unique style and pioneering use of 3D imagery helped define the look of a whole new musical genre.

Cover images of the time include such classics as:

‘The Extended Pleasures of Dance EP’ by 808 State
‘Yeah You’ by The Step on Warp Records
‘This is Strictly Rhythm’ and ‘Tracks ‘92? on Strictly Rhythm Records
‘UFOrb’ by The Orb
‘Groovy Laidback and Nasty’ and ‘Colours’ by Cabaret Voltaire
‘Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove’, compilation series on Warp Records
‘(Artificial Intelligence)’ and ‘(Artificial Intelligence II)’ on Warp Records
‘A Different Drum’ by The Shamen
‘The Professional School of Techno’ on Sony Music (Japan)
‘Pulseman’ on Frogman Records (Japan)

In 1993, together with CG artists David Slade and Jess Scott-Hunter, he produced a still talked-about (and still influential) video release that set Warp’s finest electronic musical artists against ambitious CGI, in a suite of plot-based animation sequences. On a miniscule production budget, ‘Motion’ exceeded all expectations, and launched at the ICA in London, was a huge success.

Alongside this were projects such as a collaboration with the British composer Gavin Bryars, producing 3D animation for projection during live orchestral performances of ‘Sinking of the Titanic’, 1995.

Since these heady days, Phil has continued to produce commercial CG images, is a panoramic landscape photographer, and has also worked extensively within the software industry, designing, developing and demonstrating new 3D software packages and literature. Phil recently exhibited a new body of work at a former monastery in Provence, France.

He has also launched a publishing company, Heavy Everywhere®, producing digital fractal imagery for fabric, interior design and other product lines. The first fashion release is a range of luxury swimwear on a new label in January 2009. More information on the official The Beat Is The Law site.