Marcus Leis Allion
- Kingston School of Art
- Department of Graphic Design
- School of Design
- Kingston School of Art, Knights Park
Senior Lecturer
About
I am a graphic designer, type designer, and lecturer with extensive experience in commercial, cultural, and social projects.
For ten years I worked with the internationally-renowned Barnbrook studios where I co-created cultural identities such as Roppongi Hills and Mori Art Museum, several print publications and numerous typefaces – including Priori and Hopeless Diamond. During my time there I instigated and introduced an intern network – a collective and collaborative programme designed to expand and enrich the placement experience and support interns after they left the studio.
I've undertaken several projects that explore the interplay between intellectual property and creativity, with my role as a partner and art director of LOCA Records being particularly noteworthy. The electronica label I co-founded was at the forefront of using open source and copyleft licensing for cultural works. Using copyleft licences means all of the music and its associated graphics are made available for free, with permissions for others to copy, remix, and share, provided that the resulting work is also released under the same terms and proper attribution is given. We worked with a broad roster of artists and designers from a rich array of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds in development of a creative commons. LOCA was invited to play several festivals (including BBC 6 Music) and contribute to key conferences and symposia in London, Brighton, Berlin, Oslo, Ljubljana, and Zagreb. This project expanded to fold in collaborations with The Libre Society, Remix Brighton, and an ongoing creative partnership with David M. Berry, Professor of Digital Humanities at Sussex University.
In 2008, I returned to University to complete an MA in Cultural and Critical Theory, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in 2011.
Qualifications
- MA Cultural & Critical Theory
- FHEA
- PGCert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
- HND Graphic Design