The Thing Quarterly: Issue 22

Godfather of conceptual art, John Baldessari reimagines the pillowcase

John Baldessari, the prolific visual artist and living legend hailing from southern California, has left nary a medium untouched—painting, photography, printmaking, video, sculpture, installation and more—in his quest to find beauty, drama and art in the ordinary. Dubbed the “godfather of conceptual art” and famous for being “that” guy who cremated his works from 1953 to 1966, Baldessari is a somewhat of an anomaly in …

Studio Visit: Jacob Escobedo

The Adult Swim designer on creating album art for Broken Bells, The Shins and more

The helmet-clad, naked woman gracing the covers of Broken Bells‘ new album and previously released single are a reflection of the vibrant psychedelic visions of Atlanta-based artist Jacob Escobedo. Released today, the highly anticipated album, After the Disco, showcases the collaborative sounds of Brian Burton—better known as Danger Mouse—and The Shins frontman James Mercer. After creating the artwork for the duo’s eponymous 2010 album and …

Interview: Will Adler of WILL Leather Goods

Discussing the Eugene, Oregon-based brand's new leather bicycle project and larger creative influences

“People like the unexpected,” says Will Adler, founder of WILL Leather Goods, a brand he single-handedly built from the ground up at his residence in Eugene, Oregon. While predominantly known for their selection of accessories for men and women, these days, Adler is switching gears and putting the focus on something totally different. He came up with the concept of re-imagining seven unique bicycles with …