In Review

09 January 2009 11:47 BST

Tate to Tate by Tommy Penton

Published by Jonathan Cape, out 5 June, 192 pages, £10.

In a nutshell...

Where's Wally grows up and comes to London.

What's it all about?

Tate to Tate takes the reader along London's South Bank in a visual journey from Tate Britain to Tate Modern. It is accompanied by a written guidebook by Brian Parker detailing interesting historical aspects of the buildings we see along the way. But Tate to Tate is about much more than the walk – it's the people who really make the book. It is rich with visual narrative; from the spray-painting graffiti grandma to the reluctant jogger and the pigeon, we follow the crowd and each individual's story unravels page by page.

Who's it by?

Tommy Penton is the creative force behind Tate to Tate – an illustrator and graphic designer, he did the artwork for Embrace’s 2001 album cover and has worked with several other bands, including the Chemical Brothers. In addition to this, he has exhibited his graphic-design-inspired artwork in London, Sydney and San Francisco. Penton's ultra-cool style is certainly alternative yet not too niche, and he provides mainstream appeal by mixing detailed drawings of well-known London landmarks with quirky figures, interestingly constructed scenes and bright colours.

As an example...

Look out for the sea of naked protesters in scene nineteen.

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

Unlikely – although the concept of the book could sit quite comfortably as an indie or graphic film.

What the others say

"Tate to Tate is a book like no other you have ever seen... Brightly coloured, brilliantly drawn." – allinlondon.co.uk

So is it any good?

This book is brilliant for anyone who frequents the South Bank; Tommy Penton takes a step back and observes the people and surroundings with artistic precision, picking up on details that, as pedestrians, we might miss. The book captures the frenetic pace of the crowds perfectly, enhanced by fantastically intricate drawings of London landmarks along the way.

A quirky aspect of the book is the stories Penton weaves into a visual narrative – there is a guide to the individuals to look out for on the inside cover. Especially interesting is the use of space on each page: keep an eye out for incidents happening in the periphery of the scenes. The written guide details facts about the buildings encountered on the way; it is a small component of the book and rightly so – the visual story should and does dominate the limelight.

9/10

Rebecca Heath