This issue’s cover, done by Erik Parker, just may be our favorite yet. We visited Parker’s studio last September and were pretty excited by his new series of paintings on pyramid- and plank-shaped canvases. Those works made up the exhibition “New Magnetic Destiny” that was on view last winter at Honor Fraser Gallery in L.A. We previously featured Parker in our pages leading up to his show at Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York in 2012, “Bye Bye, Babylon.” And he was gracious enough last year to participate in an intimate salon Whitewall hosted in partnership with Gertrude. We felt it was time to do a proper feature story in the magazine, and what better way to celebrate our annual Art Issue than to ask him to design our cover?
We were blown away by what he created. And not just because we’re suckers for gradients and because a warm image of a tropical pool and a shark-infested aqua ocean was the polar opposite of the polar vortex we were experiencing when we went to print. We’ve always been drawn to Parker’s use of color and imagery—a choice he makes to bring the viewer in, to connect with his audience, as he told us over a series of conversations this winter.

Our spring issue is out next week for the Armory Show. Be sure to check it out and stop by our booth at the fair to pick up your very own copy.