A Thousand Suns Artwork Meaning?

What is the meaning behind the artwork of A Thousand Suns ?



It always strikes me when I play a song from that album.

 

"It means what ever you want it to mean." That is what they told us during the LPU Summit.

Anyway, I suppose this may be a heat map of an exploding sun in black and white. Or a nuclear bomb, looking from above. Or anything.

 

I think it's supposed to be symbolic of an explosion. Which makes sense, given the theme of the album (Nuclear war/life after it/political unrest, etc).

It also looks like a mushroom.



Yummy mushroom clouds of DEATH.

 

mmmm mushrooms...

 

That would be one tasty mushroom

 

I always thought it was an inverted-color picture of the sun with something(s) racing toward it really quickly.

 

I think it's just a cool shape.

 

I don't know why but when I see that picture I am thinking of a human who suffers a lot.

 

It reminds me of all the things above + ink blot test.

 

I always thought it was a silhouette of a dove in front of a nuclear explosion.

 

That's the point. You should think: "What the fuck is this?"

Anyway, I think it's a really good cover to represent the record.

 

I was JUST going to say that. Definitely looks like marks from a nuclear explosion.

 

I remember the shock and disappointment when this was released as the album cover. The artwork is just another example of how polarizing this album really is while still adding to the journey. To me, the cover shows a distorted dove among bright lights, meaning how difficult peace is to reach in the time of nuclear power and war.

 

That was a really sad moment for all of us.

...and I call it "the teddy bear" cover. it's a teddy bear.

 

Ahah, exactly! Since the Teddy bear photoshop was done, I can't help but seeing it each time I look at that cover.

It's obviously a teddy bear.

 

It does kind of look like a Berenstain Bear.

 

Everyone keeps mentioning a dove in front of a bright light. Never saw it that way, but I like it a lot.

 

It kind of strikes me as a abstract yin yang

 

I totally never saw that before. That's actually a pretty cool way to think about it...

 

I only see the teddy bear everytime I look at the cover!