Romek Marber Collections

V&A Archive of Art and Design

In 2011, Romek offered his graphic design archive to the Archive of Art and Design (AAD) at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The AAD collects the working papers and personal archives of UK-based artists, designers and practitioners. By preserving them intact it enables research and encourages in-depth understanding of the lives and careers of those who have worked in the applied arts and design.

Romek’s initial offer included specimens of books he designed for Penguin, and Nicholson, and examples of posters, publicity and magazine content that he produced during the 1950s and 1960s. The V&A’s then senior archivist, Christopher Marsden, enthusiastically accepted this gift but also encouraged Romek to supplement it with surviving artwork, correspondence and other working papers that he had kept from his student days and during the course of his distinguished career in graphic design.

The resulting archives are now held at V&A East Storehouse in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. They are regularly shown to students and groups of visitors, and are available for exhibition. They may be viewed by members of the public by appointment in the Study Centre at V&A East Storehouse.

Matti Watton
V&A Senior Archivist