In 1939 at the age of 23, graphic designer Alex Steinweiss became the first art director for Columbia Records where he invented album art. *Pause* Repeat that... invented album art. I don't know about you, but I would've never thought that one person actually came up with the idea of album art- I always assumed that the front of a record sleeve was just a handy dandy place to put an image. But hence, I degress.
Over the course of his career, Steinweiss created over 250 pieces of cover art- all unique and wonderful from a graphic design standpoint. If you're currently in LA, selected Steinweiss covers and select tributes to him are on display at the Robert Berman Gallery in Santa Monica, until February 12, 2008. While you're there, make sure to checkout the "Will Rise" exhibition which is also on display and features works from some of LA's best Graffiti artists (more on this in the near future). We were on hand for the opening of both, and snapped a few photos for your viewing pleasure. Here's a slideshow from the Steinweiss exhibition:
Steinweiss also signed select non-album-art pieces as "Piedra Blaca,"- I dug a few of the following pieces as much as the album covers:
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