John Harris

John Harris (b. 1948)
The Wall
acrylic on board
57¹⁄₄ x 48in. (145.2 x 122cm.)
executed circa 1980

A large and otherworldly landscape used as the cover illustration for the Sinclair ZX81 Software Catalogue, from the personal collection of Sir Clive Sinclair.

Sinclair was a pioneering British entrepreneur and inventor best known for his contributions to the personal computing revolution in the late 20th century. He founded Sinclair Research Ltd and developed several groundbreaking products, notably the ZX80, ZX81, C5 and the Spectrum. The ZX81 was one of the first affordable home computers, featuring a compact design and a simple interface that made computing accessible to a wider audience.

The present painting, created by leading artist John Harris, was bought by Sinclair to adorn the cover of the pivotal ZX81 software manual and is just one example of the collaboration between the entrepreneur and the artist. Indeed, the pair had a longstanding partnership rooted in their shared passion for technology and innovation. Harris's visionary artwork complemented Sinclair's futuristic concepts, particularly in the realm of computer graphics and design. Harris's imaginative visions helped communicate and elevate Sinclair's innovative ideas and together, they played a role in shaping the early landscape of personal computing and science fiction imagery, leaving a lasting impact on both fields.