Decay art

A number of album covers feature what I consider “nature decay art.” I describe this as landscapes for feature art depicting natural elements in various states of decay. They may be fanciful, ethereal, antique or despairing. Many talented artists are working in this style today, including Caitlin Hackett, Kate O’Hara, Anna Streetly and Caelan Stokkermans.

I believe that this style has its roots in 15th-century Dutch painters who painted gorgeous still lives in various states of decay. The example at left is “Still life with rotting fruit and nuts on a stone ledgem” by Abraham Mignon, 1670. Whatever the true source of an artist’s inspiration, the style makes for visually compelling album covers.