Art

Lil Nas X Did at Least Something Right With ‘J Christ’: He Revived the Art of the Album Cover

Published

9 months ago

January 22, 2024

As new music launches go, the arrival of Lil Nas X’s “J Christ” single and video earlier this month was hardly blessed. The artwork that adorned the single — Lil Nas X strapped to a cross and being hoisted up by five women, an apocalyptic sky behind them — led to a predictable uproar from the religious front. So much so, in fact, that Lil Nas X posted a video on his socials explaining the imagery (“It was literally me saying I’m back like Jesus”) and apologizing for offending anyone with the song’s accompanying, pretty devilish video, which is jammed with crucifixion imagery and an incongruous allusion to Noah.

Was the single cover for “J Christ” ridiculous, over the top, and begging for controversy? No doubt. But now that it’s been two weeks since all hell broke loose, we can’t say we’re not mesmerized by the artwork. And in that regard, Lil Nas X got at least one thing right: He helped further the ongoing renaissance of musical cover art.

Starting with the lavish painting on his debut album Montero — that psychedelic ancient-temple landscape with a nude Lil Nas X floating in the middle — and now its follow-up, the rapper shows he’s keenly aware that album art is a unique and powerful form.

Dating back to the likes of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Exile on Main St., and Nevermind, to cite a mere few of hundreds of examples, the record jacket has had a pretty storied history. But by the dawn of this century, something was out of focus. With the LP dead and the CD waning, the rise of digital music seemed to put a damper on design. Covers grew less detailed and blunter, dominated by big, blocky lettering and simple images and fonts. It’s as if they were being designed for online music sites or the tiny screen of your phone, where they’re reduced to the size of postage stamps.

But over the last decade, lavish, eye-grabbing jackets starting making a return, a trend that was surely tied in with another comeback — that of vinyl. By now, it’s pretty clear that a good chunk of people who buy LPs don’t play them as much as use them for home decor: They’re the new dorm-room posters.

Editor’s picks

Since those 12-by-12 packages are more popular than they’ve been in a long time, artists and designers — and the pop stars who hire them — seem to be newly inspired. As Lil Nas X shows, the hip-hop world has particularly stepped up with some of the must-see cover art of the last few years. Start with Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and its provocative photo of what looks like a post-revolution party on the White House lawn.

Last year alone gave us Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape, depicting him in front of an American flag with a matching jacket, his spiky hair practically jabbing into the stripes. On Set It Off, Offset is seen plunging from an upside-down world on fire, which captures our dystopian landscape as much as any record could. Reason to Smile, from British hip-hop artist Kojey Radical, shows him elevating into the air, as if he’s experiencing the Rapture. With its AI-generated art of a crazed board of executives, Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here was as disturbing as a Jordan Peele film.

Pop and rock have made a strong showing too: The guy posing atop an abandoned car on a beach of the 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language; the detailed everyday-stress cartoon illustrations (by Scarlett Curtis) on Ed Sheeran’s Autumn Variations, a cover that would surely only exist with the return of vinyl. Kelela’s solemn face emerging from — or being submerged into? — water on Raven. The rainbow on fire of Sigur Rós’ Átta, which conjures vintage art like that of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Even Yes, who blew many a prog-rock fan’s mind with the art on Tales from Topographic Oceans and Relayer, again recruited Roger Dean, creator of those jackets, for last year’s Mirror to the Sky.

We haven’t seen a barrage of cool artwork like that in years. And now we can add Lil Nas X to the list. As much as he may have alienated conservatives — and perhaps some of his own fans by backing down — he won over the art-cover geeks.

Source link

Art

A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

3 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

Source link

Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

1 month ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.