Redefinemag.com : Ottawa-born Marc Séguin has been listening to the indie rock band Karkwa for years. Karkwa's fourth full-length album, Les Chemins De Verre, was written and recorded over the span of 21 days.It won this year's Polaris Prize, alongside albums from The Besnard Lakes, Caribou, Dan Mangan, and Owen Pallett, which more than speaks to the album's quality.
Séguin has been listening to Karkwa for years, and became involved in designing the band's album cover through a very organic process.
"There was a long feature documentary film being produced on me [and] my work for a few years. [The filmmakers] followed me (filming) for 16 months," recalls Séguin. Because music from bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The xx, The National, Yeasayer, Future Islands, and, of course, Karkwa, was constantly playing in Séguin's studio, it became obvious to the filmmakers that the score had to be fitting of Séguin's tastes. When asked who he would choose to create the score, Séguin immediately suggested Karkwa.
"[The filmmaker] asked them, and they accepted, to create new music for the entire movie," Séguin says. "I guess they loved my work. And since they got involved so much with me [and] my paintings, it became obvious to them that their new album cover should be done by me. So, they went through the website and my archives and chose this, Hommage To Rothko." The mixed media piece was crafted from tar, oil paint, naturalized heron, and charcoal, on canvas, and to Séguin, the choice is perfect, providing a synthesis between the album art and the mood and spirit of the music.
"I am honoured by their choice," Séguin says.
www.marcseguin.comwww.karkwa.com
Jeu de briques
Snake
Pacman
Bubble