Behind The Artworks: NAUT - Raise The Lights (2018)

Symbolism is incredibly important for us, in both visual arts and music, each symbol guides the viewer, suggesting ideas and emotions through the associations we have with different visual cues. Lyrically, to explore the self and the world we inhabit to the fullest is a recurring call. Otherworldly exploration, removing self imposed limits and realising your Will are all themes that are important to us and if the songs are a call to arms and a ritual, then the artwork is the sigil, the pictorial manifestation of the ideas within the songs. In this case, the cover contains many references to both the lyrics and the overall themes of the EP.

It was a fairly tricky process to get something that also looked aesthetically pleasing and had the right feel so that it sits with the feel of the music, but I think we got there in the end. One of the advantages of having two band members with arts & design backgrounds is that we could take the art into

our own hands and try numerous ideas without worrying about budget and the difficulties of communicating ideas to a third party.

Including elements that were relevant to each of the songs was crucial. The references to the Tower card in tarot is in both the lyrics and the artwork for example, the disintegrating comet and the figures holding up the frame like Atlas and the globe are all tied into the different themes of the songs. Another element to look at is the eclipse photograph that makes up the central image. It is of the 1994 eclipse, which also features in the  video for ‘Disintegration’, and hints at light returning from momentary darkness caused by forces beyond our control, a theme found in ‘Disintegration’. The significance of the year is known only to me I suspect, but it was chosen for a reason.

A key idea for me when it comes to music, lyrics and art, is that everything is there for a reason, there are no mistakes and no neutral ground. I feel any creative endeavour ends up being an exploration of the person who created it. Ideas, feelings and experiences that are otherwise out of reach come to the fore quite easily when the creative process in underway. Tothe audience however, it is not only a window into the creator, it is also a mirror, much like when you look through a window you see yourself reflected back at you as well as gazing into the world beyond. So even if you didn’t consciously chose something for its meaning, your audience will give it one, so you may as well give thought to each element to make sure it says what you want it to and everything is aligned.