Los Angeles Tom Neely was several months into adapting the Nick Cave book “And the Ass Saw the Angel” when his process was halted by an unfortunate discovery. Instead, his work is now “Birds of Death” at Gallery 30 South in Pasadena. Also known as “A Graphic Novel on Walls,” this is the first and last show of his unused illustrations. A statement explains what happened with the project:
“The project was aborted when the artist discovered that the rights to the property were not properly secured, and therefore his adaptation was unauthorized,” a statement says. “In it’s current state, these illustrations represent nearly a year of creative process; lacking any accompanying text allows an abstract interpretation of not just Cave’s prose, but of Neely’s disappointment in the circumstances surrounding the project.”
Neely is known for his indie comic “Henry & Glenn Forever,” as well as several other books, magazine illustrations, and album covers for the likes of Melvins and Green Day. His debut graphic novel, “The Blot,” garnered an Ignatz Award, as well as several other honors.
Artist 