Whether you're a music collector or download enthusiast, I'm sure you have wondered about the meaning and motives behind the artwork representing some of the most recognizable releases in metal. Turns out so have Pure Grain Audio, who have compiled some of these releases as part of their new blog series "…And Justice For Art". This thought-provoking series dives into both figurative and literal meanings behind select records, with interviews, fun facts, and methods of execution sprinkled through out. Their latest installment focuses on artist Rene Miville and his work on Death's Symbolic, an album cover I'm sure we've all wondered about.
While both Rene Miville and Death mastermind Chuck Schuldiner have since passed away, the entry still contains an interesting outlook on details I've personally never picked up on before:
Rene's work was nothing short of striking. During the late 1980's and early 1990's he developed a very unique aesthetic that was the complete opposite to the exciting new possibilities that artists were exploring through digital media. His innovative technique was based on using chemical manipulation within the classic darkroom printing process. The achieved results were similar to a traditional photograph with the major difference being that he usually painted the chemistry upon the photo paper. "The images are from a body of work at a time when I would photograph very exciting social situations that you just can't stage. I captured a moment in history. Adding the chemicals adds my reality onto that reality. The beauty of it is that nobody can ever say it's tacky or decorative, because it's very real. It stands the test of time," Miville theorized years ago while talking about his art.
Read the full entry on Death's Symbolic over at Pure Grain Audio. They have also released a video teaser for the series:
