There are three new t-shirts available, featuring album artwork from PJ Harvey’s back catalogue: Rid Of Me, 4-Track Demos, and Is This Desire?
Maria Mochnacz was the photographer for each of the album covers, and she collaborated in adapting the photography for use on these t-shirts. See below for reflections on the artwork.
These t-shirts are now available in the PJ Harvey store, and can be purchased separately, or as a set of three with a 10% discount.
Rid of Me Stonewash Burgundy T-Shirt
“The first time I ever heard Rid Of Me, I wasn’t quite sure what I’d just heard – it didn’t fit into anything I had heard before. It made me think that the portrait for the artwork had to be a bit startling too.
I had the idea of photographing Polly in pitch black, with a flash, and water, so that when she moved, the flash would freeze her hair dragged up from the water like a strange sculpture above her head.
My bathroom was small, so I had to set up the camera with a shutter release cable on a tripod butted up against the wall, in complete darkness. I asked Polly to try and aim her gaze at one particular spot. I took about 12 or so frames – and this was the one that worked.” – Maria Mochnacz
“This was taken in The Watergate Hotel in Washington on a day off during PJ Harvey’s 1993 tour of America. I was on tour with the band documenting video for what would become ‘Reeling’, and had also been commissioned by NME to do a photo shoot whilst there.
They requested we do a shoot outside to show where we were, but we preferred the hotel room and I just suggested stuffing some dollars down Polly’s mohair bikini.” – Maria Mochnacz
Is This Desire? Stonewash Black T-Shirt
“We went to Henleaze Lake, the location of the photo, and experimented with medium format pinhole photography for the cover of Is This Desire?
There was no lens, just a metal plate with a hole to let the light in, using methods that early photographers would have used, before rapid shutter speeds.
For this album it felt right to experiment with what colours and textures could be achieved by this older method of photography – so there is detail but softness, similar to a charcoal drawing – a fragile imprint – bit smudgy – a handmade feeling.” – Maria Mochnacz