An intrepid force in the music and visual art worlds, Jacob Bannon is now adding publishing to his docket of pursuits. Bannon's forthcoming book, Dunedevil (May 19, self-released), amounts to nearly 300 pages of visceral abstract paintings, vulnerable journal entries and austere photographs collected during a 7-day retreat in the hinterland of Massachusetts.
Dunedevil emerged from Bannon's weeklong residence in the C-Scape Dune Shack (formerly known as the Cohen Shack) within the Peaked Hill Bars National Register Historical District in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The area's jagged seacoast, rolling sand dunes and primitive desolation spurred an outpouring of mixed media work, photography and music.
"I don't consider myself a traditional musician/artist/writer," Bannon says. "I see those definitions as a bit limiting. 'Life' artist makes the most sense to me, as I see all of my creative outlets to be linked together, coming from the same place internally."
Bannon has made a name for himself as a fearless artist in all disciplines—brassy hardcore frontman, inventive entrepreneur, audacious visual artist—and that lack of abandon is omnipresent throughout Dunedevil. The book provides a rare glimpse into the artistic process, offering a smattering of journal entries, photographs and paintings created by Bannon during his artistic crusade. Alternating between stark nature scenes and textural abstract pieces poured upon canvases and journal pages, the symbiosis of climate and craft has never been more evident.
Aside from his work as the co-founder of the influential band Converge, Bannon is also the co-founder of independent record label Deathwish Inc., and an accomplished artist known for artwork and packaging for countless iconic albums in the underground music scene. He is a graduate of The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, where he received the "Excellence in Design" accolade.
Dunedevil serves as a companion piece to Bannon's musical album of the same name, released under the moniker Wear Your Wounds. Dunedevil will be released on May 19th - look for more information at JacobBannon.com.