While working on the artwork, I listened to the album many, many times. I experimented with several techniques, but a semi-controlled corrosion process on metal was the final medium. What is semi-controlled, you ask? Unless you go out of your way to stop rust, it just keeps happening. These image comparisons show the cover artwork before, after, and way after blasting the meticulously etched, pristine lines with flames and chemicals. The stage of deterioration photographed for the album artwork shows some of the original purity of the lines.
Those lines mimic guitar stings. Their arrangement into a loop makes reference to the moon, which is what the phrase “dark star” made me think of. The corrosion relates to gritty, complex sounds from the pedals. Originating from precise metal wires, signals decay and transform into something more chaotic and more complex than the original.
vs
lines etched on painted steel
(both with colored and UV lighting)
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initial corrosion treatment
(same object, before and after)
vs
corrosion treatment slowed after a few months
(same object, before and after)
The reverse of the album cover is a silhouette-like image highlighting a contemplative face. I used similar techniques for the corrosion along with masking. I would show the reference photo too but I promised never to show the mystery person’s face.
Variations on the knot design were used as the center labels for the actual LP.
This piece was displayed at the City County building in Knoxville during 2024.