Introduction
The Nostalgia Ultra Collection is a series of art pieces that taps into viewers' fond memories and personal connections with iconic artists, albums, and music. Developed in my own unique medium of "record art," this style was conceived in 2017 at the intersection of my artistic struggles with burnout of conventional mediums, color-blindness, and the desire for a distinct visual identity. Inspired by my love of music culture and a newfound interest in three-dimensional media, I had been listening to Tupac Shakur on vinyl record when the idea struck me to create an art piece of the artist in a novel way. This "lightbulb moment" gave birth to record art and its first piece, "All Eyez On Me," pictured to the left.
Each piece evokes a sense of nostalgia, sentimental longing, and emotional connection from it's use of an outdated listening medium, the likeness of some of the greatest musicians of this generation, and the iconography of their work.
When folks see a piece from the Nostalgia Ultra Collection, they don't just see the artwork to an album they love- they see faces, places, and feelings that the album played soundtrack to. They are peering into their past life.
Medium & Technique
The very essence of record art lies in its strict philosophy of positive and negative space. To begin the creation process, I use Adobe Photoshop to run the album covers through black & white and levels adjustments that result in a pop-art look.
I then take black vinyl records and (uncarefully) shatter them into countless pieces. The process is akin to assembling a puzzle, where each piece meticulously selected, organized, and placed onto a thick white cardstock canvas using gorilla glue and, at times, tweezers for the smallest details. Layers of one to five, or more, are used to create round areas and specific geometric shapes, resulting in a textured and dimensional masterpiece. The shattered vinyl pieces embody the black (positive space), while the white cardstock beneath them represent the negative space that peeks through, creating a stunning contrast of light and dark.
To create more accurate and vibrant pieces, I have started experimenting with using different colored cardstock and several colors of vinyl record.
"All Eyez On Me"
Tupac Shakur
Released 2019
*University of Louisville Art Show "Best in Show," 2019
"Swimming"
Mac Miller
Released 2023
"After Hours"
The Weeknd
Released 2023
"2014 Forest Hills Drive"
J. Cole
Released 2023
"Blond"
Frank Ocean
Released 2021
"Call Me If You Get Lost"
Tyler, the Creator
Released 2023
"ANTI"
Rihanna
Released 2023
and more COMING SOON!
Digital Marketing
As the creator of the Nostalgia Ultra Collection, I utilize my skills in video production to promote the artwork through social media. Using a combination of state-of-the-art video cameras, professional lighting equipment, my wonderful friends as actors, and post-production software like Premiere Pro and After Effects, I produce high-quality reveal trailers, bumper ads, and time-lapses that capture the essence of each respective artist's iconography. Everything, from concept to final edit, is done entirely in-house, allowing me to maintain creative control and ensure that each piece is of the highest quality. As of March 2023, the Nostalgia Ultra Collection has received hundreds of thousands of impressions and tens of thousands of engagements on social media.
To explore the behind-the-scenes process of creating each piece's marketing campaign, please visit the Campaigns section below.
