Artist Statement
Ever since I received my first pair of glasses in third grade, I have always been overly observant and aware of my surroundings; I remember putting on my pair of glasses and saying “Wow, Mom look there’s leaves on the trees!” Nature is what tends to intrigue me the most, and it follows me into my photography practices. Because of that, I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and create a rendition of several iconic album covers. My passion for music coupled with my love for photography was a perfect mix for my capstone project.
The original music doesn’t change, but the era in which the music is heard is constantly evolving. Music is being shifted and adapted by the persona put on certain genres within our society on a global scale. This is the reason why I wanted to recreate iconic, inspirational vinyl album covers; creating these covers with a contemporary twist by depicting a new aesthetic to fit the lyrics and theme of the original album, but also allowing the artistic meaning to shine through the photographs and multimedia elements was my primary goal.
The Albums Explained
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers: This album focuses on relationships, and the affection and pain brought on by people who hurt you. Including the dead flowers on the front of the album symbolizes the relationship notion of once being lively to now filled with somber. The photographs represent the grunge-look from the original album cover. I created a jean pocket to add some texture and to allow my audience to recognize the back of the vinyl booklet compared to the frontal appearance of the subject. The color red was used to enhance the iconic red lips symbol of the Rolling Stones.
David Bowie - Aladdin Sane: This piece represents the “split down the middle” personality of the Aladdin Sane character reflecting Bowie's split feelings regarding his new found stardom. Bowie’s shift from Ziggy Stardust to Aladdin Sane brought a new, creative sense of avant-garde and futurism to music. That is what I focused on in my photographs and multimedia elements. The drip on the front of the album was accentuated by adding glitter, and it allowed the photograph to have a more futuristic sentiment. The cracked mirror, from the back of the album, illustrates the split emotions of Bowie. I used Photoshop to achieve the vibrant, and somewhat, unconventional look the album entails.
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black: Back to Black was a creative outlet written while suffering through a heartbreak. Through my images, I wanted to represent personal reflection, and the ideal of truly knowing and loving yourself when there is nothing, or no one, else there for you to lean on; this is specifically shown through the mirror image. I felt the need to continue with a simplistic aesthetic for the rendition of the vinyl cover; the two images pasted together embody the drastic change in emotions that are also represented within the lyrics of the songs.
