Albumism - Noma Contemporary Art Trends

• Beethoven, Mozart and Bach -

top dogs

• Classical Period - 18th

century

• Concerts = $$$

• Only time to hear their music

• Composers/musicians

regarded as artists

pre-1938

Alex Steinweiss

• First Art department

head of Columbia

Records

• Designed first album

covers

• Golden age of Jazz

• Graphic, poster

intention

Rick

Griffin

Stanley Mouse

• Surfer + Surf Art

• Read MAD Magazine

• Close with The Grateful Dead

• Designed their albums and

posters

• leading psychedelic poster

designer

• San Francisco based

• influenced by Rick Griffin and Art Nouveau

like Alphonse Mucha

• Hippie art and psychedelic stuff

• befriended Journey, Grateful Dead &

made posters and albums covers for them

• Music Industry is screwed in the 21st cent.

• CD sales suck, people just stream and

steal

• Musicians aren’t valued as artists, nor are

albums valued as art largely

• Different ways to handle this situation

In Rainbows (2007) was

released for digital

download “name your

price”

• First time a large

band had done

something like this

Trent Reznor

released Year Zero in

2007

• Album was paired

with a remixed album

and video game

(poster from the

game)

Those two artists adapted one way,

compromising and using the system

Did it devalue their art, to give it away for

free?

Were these attempts to gain respect as

artists or to play into the failing system?

• Once Upon a Time in

Shaolin

• One record, on tour to

galleries, museums, etc.

• Only time you can hear it is

if you pay to hear it in the

gallery

• Restore music as high art

“History demonstrates that great musicians such

as Beethoven, Mozart and Bach are held in the

same high esteem as figures like Picasso,

Michelangelo and Van Gogh”

“The idea that music is art has been something

we advocated for years” -RZA

Will this trend continue to spread?

Will more albums see limited releases and

be treated as works of art?

Will the public support this concept?

Me:

yes yes and no