The Mars Volta, Deloused in the Comatorium Album Cover, 2003 (20/20)
By Storm Thorgerson
About the image
“This album, from the intrepid musical explorers The Mars Volta, renegades from At the Drive In, contained a set of songs about their close friend, artistic mentor and wild man, Julio, who as a result of numerous misadventures and over-indulgences, spent much time in hospital, slipping in and out of a coma. This accounts for the hospital setting of our design. The Mars Volta imagined that their friend, in his unconscious state, was being pulled down by his artistic demons or imaginary figures called Tremulants, from which whose clutches he was continually trying to escape, when successful he surfaced briefly into consciousness. The light from his mouth is the cry for help, a shaft of daylight piercing his hospital gloom. His head is bobbing (or rolling) in and out of consciousness, and was therefore represented by an egg-shaped sculpture of bronze which could literally roll backwards and forwards, and was clean edged and very ‘deloused’, but with a real skin face... scary huh?
Release Notes:
Storm created a series called "20/20" comprised of 20 of his favorite images in limited editions of only 20 pieces (plus 2 Artist Proofs) each. Most certainly a play on the phrase "20/20" referring to perfect vision, the set was designed to showcase some of the pieces he valued most, including many of his more obscure album cover images.
Request Price
The Mars Volta, Deloused in the Comatorium Album Cover, 2003 (20/20)