Attention Fans of Graphic Design: A Deconstruction of the Packaging for Bowie’s The Next Day
Many have been wondering about the artwork of David Bowie’s new album, The Next Day. Why just riff on the “Heroes…” album from 1977? The Barnbrook blog elaborates.
The packaging is an extension of that idea. The back features the back of “Heroes” with as simple undesigned track listing. The inside is even more minimal. The idea was to create difference by the absence of graphics and text. Why? In a world were we are assaulted by signs and messages urgently competing for our attention, the only way to look different is to take all that away and have a minimal calm space. In 2013, this is not easy, record companies want logos, shops want product identifiers, publishers want copyright info, but we did it (almost) – no typography except for one black on black copyright notice. The white square repeats obscuring David Bowie’s face, which is balanced by a black on black square opposite. The portrait of Bowie is finally revealed underneath when you get to the CD.
