Grimes “Art Angels” Album Art

The album Art Angels by Grimes is a significant work in the intersection of music and graphic design, showcasing Claire Boucher’s multidisciplinary approach as both a musician and visual artist. Designed entirely by Boucher herself, the album cover features a striking hand-drawn illustration that embodies the album’s eclectic, genre-blending sound. The surreal, anime-inspired portrait employs bold colors, exaggerated features, and intricate detailing, reflecting the fusion of pop, electronic, and alternative influences present in the music.

This artwork stands out in the history of graphic design due to its raw, independent aesthetic, challenging the polished, corporate-driven visuals often associated with pop music. By personally crafting the album’s imagery—including custom illustrations for each track—Boucher reinforces the concept of the musician as a complete creative entity, an approach increasingly embraced in the digital era. The album’s visual language draws from underground comic art, cyberpunk, and East Asian pop culture, bridging contemporary music with avant-garde graphic sensibilities.

As a self-produced and self-designed project, Art Angels exemplifies the democratization of graphic design in the digital age. It highlights a shift toward artist-driven visual identities, where musicians utilize design as an extension of their storytelling. By including this work in the archive, we acknowledge its role in shaping modern album art, pushing the boundaries between music and visual communication in the 21st century.