When design got dirty and digital was DIY.
JAM documented the chaos that reshaped a generation.
In 1996, where ISDN, NTL dial up internet and where Zip disks and 3.5mb floppy disks ruled the world, the Barbican Centre in London hosted Jam: Style + Music + Media, an exhibition that encapsulated the vibrant intersection of art, design, music, and fashion in 1990s Britain. This groundbreaking showcase featured works from leading creatives, including the multidisciplinary design collective Tomato, fashion designers like Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan, and photographer David Sims. So off we went with friends now the amazing exhibition founders of Nest Studios
It was a landmark exhibition at London’s Barbican Centre … a walk in exhibition that captured the restless, hybrid energy of a decade defined by rapid cultural shifts and digital awakening. The exhibition brought together a new generation of designers, musicians, and media artists who were reshaping the boundaries of visual communication and cultural production. At the center of this creative storm was Tomato, and Anti Rom AKA Underworld the British design collective whose experimental ethos helped define the aesthetic language of the time.
Jam” featured a range of multimedia installations, including film, sound, and interactive media, highlighting, showcasing the intersection of graphic design, music, and media, reflecting the cultural zeitgeist of the 1990’s.
Tomato’s innovative approach to design and their ability to blur the lines between different creative disciplines. The exhibition was a testament to their collaborative ethos and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of conventional design.
Jam: Style + Music + Media was more than an exhibition; it was a reflection of a cultural moment where boundaries between disciplines blurred. The collaborative spirit and experimental ethos of Tomato and their contemporaries continue to inspire today’s creatives.
As I look back, Jam stands as both a time capsule and a blueprint. It reminds us that the most impactful design comes from those willing to experiment, blur disciplines, and challenge the norms of their era.
