The Rolling Stones‘ iconic ‘Tongue and Lips’ original artwork has been purchased by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum with help from The Art Fund, an idependent artt charity.
One of the most instantly recognisable symbols of rock, the pop art Tongue and Lips were designed by Royal College of Art student John Pasche in 1970, for which he was paid £250 for the artwork in two installments in ’70 and ’72.
Pasche worked with the Stones until 1974 when he then worked with Paul McCartney, The Who, The Stranglers and Dr Feelgood before becoming art director at United Artists (Music) and Chrysalis Records.
The work has been bought by the V&A at auction, with 50% of the $92,500 cost being met by The Art Fund.
Head of exhibitions at the V&A Victoria Broakes commented on the purchase, saying: “The Rolling Stones ‘Tongue’ is one of the first examples of a group using branding and it has become arguably the world’s most famous rock logo. We are delighted to have acquired the original artwork, especially as it was designed at the Royal College of Art right here in South Kensington by a student who used to visit the V&A’s collections for inspiration. We are very grateful for the Art Fund’s support in helping us acquire this exciting addition to our collections.”
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