So about that artwork!!

Many folks have commented on the artwork for the album – All You Need Is Now.  The chosen work was posted yesterday on dd.com and the bands’ facebook, and probably every other Duran Duran dedicated website on the web.  Fans began to weigh in almost immediately, an overwhelming majority saying anything from “yuck”, to “I don’t get it.  Why doesn’t it look more like .”   I even read a few posts asking who did the artwork, thinking that it was another John and Patty collaboration.

The artwork was done by Clunie Reid.  She is an up and coming artist (although I really don’t consider her up and coming – she’s as “on the scene” as they get these days in my humble opinion), and she tends to specialize in more contemporary or modern art.  Her work is very similar to the artwork for the cover – she’ll take pictures or drawings and then write a statement on them, just like what you see on both the cover of the album and the European EP.  Reid’s work isn’t meant to be “pretty”, it’s meant to stir thought, and to keep the viewer interested in what the message might be.

What is the most fascinating to me about this is how quickly the fans reacted to the artwork.  Of course, from the moment that Duran Duran announced that Clunie Reid would be the artist, I knew the chances of the community embracing the cover were nil to none – first of all in order to appreciate the work you have to be willing to look farther than the surface, and secondly – if you’re not into modern or contemporary art, this probably isn’t going to be your cup of tea.  A lot of fans commented on wanting a picture of the band on the cover, and naturally for this album that doesn’t appear to be the case.  Regardless, the band definitely got a reaction – whether or not it was the one they were expecting, I have no idea.

Interestingly enough, a lot of fans have commented that they miss Simon’s style of writing.  His more recent work is far more straightforward – he says what he means, I guess, and many fans don’t like that as much.  What is really funny about that is this artwork is very much the same as the lyrics off of the first album, Rio…SATRT… you have to look beyond the surface and be willing to see (or hear) what’s there.

Perhaps the real problem is that for at least the near future, the closest we will all come to this album is our computer screen.  The physical copies will not be released until February, and it’s very difficult to really feel the full impact of the artwork when you can’t see it very well.  Seeing it online is all well and good, but the details are so hazy that you can’t make out what they are….

then again, maybe that’s what the band wanted.

-R