WORKThere's just nothing like the imagination.
BRIEF
To design the promotional poster for the performance of Unseen Worlds, an album by electronic music pioneer Laurie Spiegel.
CONTEXT
Laurie Spiegel is a true technologist and innovator. Her imagination fuelled her musical processes, while her ambition influenced the early era of electronic music. She created and published Music Mouse, an algorithm-based computer program. With an inherent structure in place, Laurie could instinctively input additional commands to produce DIY computer-generated noise. Unseen Worlds is Spiegel’s second album, with the majority of its songs composed using her very own Music Mouse. Both beautiful and ominous, the album reaches uncharted territory, sending the listener on a voyage into the unknown.
Laurie Spiegel is featured on the Golden Record, which was launched into space over 40 years ago. This time capsule of recorded material reflects the human experience of life on Earth. Having transformed astronomer Johannes Kepler’s work on planetary motion into audible harmonic ratios, Laurie Spiegel’s piece remains floating in space, waiting to be discovered.
APPROACH
I explored the theme of inner-workings, and the way hidden elements are crucial components to the overall function of things. It was an ode to the technology behind the creation of Laurie’s music. A photograph of a record plate serves as the backdrop for the poster. Without the plate, a record cannot be played. The typography was designed to fade into the background, slowly disappearing, adding a dynamic quality to the poster. The hardness of the plate, combined with the emotional quality of the type and colours reflects both the dark and airy songs on Laurie’s album.
OUTCOME
The result reflects my imaginative interpretation of Laurie Spiegel’s music. Thoughtful elements give the work meaning, and show just how deep a discovery can be.
WORKUNSEEN WORLDS
POSTER DESIGN
There's just nothing like the imagination.
BRIEF
To thoughtfully design the cover and inside spreads of a large format book by accurately reflecting the tone and character of creative artist, Richard Prince.
When I first saw my photograph in Prince’s body of work, I did a double take. The signature picture for his show was this image that I had made in New Mexico. And then I saw it all over town. At every bus stop. Finally I went to the exhibit itself and the first thing I wanted to do was photograph it. The guard said no no no, no photography please. And I said but this is my picture. And he said no it’s not, it’s by Richard Prince.
- Sam Abell
I’m not going to change. I’m not going to ask for permission. I’m not going to do it.
BRIEF
To design the promotional poster for the performance of Unseen Worlds, an album by electronic music pioneer Laurie Spiegel.
CONTEXT
Laurie Spiegel is a true technologist and innovator. Her imagination fuelled her musical processes, while her ambition influenced the early era of electronic music. She created and published Music Mouse, an algorithm-based computer program. With an inherent structure in place, Laurie could instinctively input additional commands to produce DIY computer-generated noise. Unseen Worlds is Spiegel’s second album, with the majority of its songs composed using her very own Music Mouse. Both beautiful and ominous, the album reaches uncharted territory, sending the listener on a voyage into the unknown.
CONTEXT
Richard Prince is a controversial contemporary artist who finds success through appropriation. By deliberately stealing and slightly transforming pre-existing works by other artists, Richard is constantly met with indignation, to which he defiantly disregards.
Prince rephotographed Marlboro cigarette ads, deliberately cropping out all text associated with the advertisements. This series of cowboys launched his career, unbeknown to original photographer Sam Abell.
APPROACH
A portrait of Richard Prince had to be on the cover of the book. It shows how transparent and unapologetic he is as an artist. As he stares you in the eye, he is asking you to look at him, for you to see him for who he is, without fear of retribution. The title - I Could Care Less - is Richard’s bold response to how others react to his work, a succinct one-liner that sums up his attitude.
Through extensive research, I found myself drawn to the things Richard would say. He always nonchalantly spoke his mind. An overall typographic approach for the book was a way to emphasize these words. The spine, composed of microtype, is the unique stream-of-consciousness writing style Richard developed. This ‘bird talk’ is comprised of random short sentences, which are absurd yet profound.
The large barcode reflects the exorbitant cost of Prince’s work. His untitled (cowboy) photographs are among the most expensive ever sold, the highest going for $3,749,000.
OUTCOME
Every creative decision I made was deliberate. It was important to present the artist authentically through design. The result is a bold, typographic, in-your-face portrayal of Richard Prince.
APPROACH
I explored the theme of inner-workings, and the way hidden elements are crucial components to the overall function of things. It was an ode to the technology behind the creation of Laurie’s music. A photograph of a record plate serves as the backdrop for the poster. Without the plate, a record cannot be played. The typography was designed to fade into the background, slowly disappearing, adding a dynamic quality to the poster. The hardness of the plate, combined with the emotional quality of the type and colours reflects both the dark and airy songs on Laurie’s album.
OUTCOME
The result reflects my imaginative interpretation of Laurie Spiegel’s music. Thoughtful elements give the work meaning, and show just how deep a discovery can be.
