Title: The Mind’s Eye: The Art of Omni
Author: Edited by Jeremy Frommer & Rick Schwartz
Edition: Hardcover, 180 pages
Published: June 10th 2014 by powerHouse Books
Genre(s): Non-Fiction; Sci-Fi; Art
GOODREADS
PURCHASE
Omni was a jewel among popular science magazines of its era (1978–1998). Science Digest, Science News, Scientific America, and Discover may have all been selling well to armchair scientists, but Omni masterfully blended cutting edge science news and science fiction, flashy graphic design, a touch of sex, and the images of a generation of artists completely free and unburdened by the disciplines of the masters.
Created by the legendary Bob Guccione, better known for founding Penthouse than perhaps any of the other facets of his inspired career in business, art, and literature, Guccione handpicked the artists and illustrators that contributed to the Omni legacy—they in turn created works ignited by passion and intellect, two of Guccione’s principal ideals.
The Mind’s Eye: The Art of Omni is the very first publication to celebrate in stunning detail the exceptional science fiction imagery of this era in an oversized format. The Mind’s Eye contains 185 images from contributing Omni artists including John Berkey, Chris Moore, H.R. Giger, Rafal Olbinski, Rallé, Tsuneo Sanda, Hajime Sorayama, Robert McCall, and Colin Hay among many more, along with quotes from artists, contributors, writers, and critics. With an introduction by Ben Bova.
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My Thoughts
This isn’t a review as I know very little about the source material, and wouldn’t even really consider myself an art-lover. However, I am a fan of Science Fiction and recognised many of the names cited in the synopsis, so when I was approached about this book I jumped at the chance to see more.
Some of the images are recognisable, some are like nothing I’ve ever seen before, but they are all completely stunning different ways. Together with interesting quotes, The Mind’s Eye is a beautiful collection. I couldn’t stop looking at it and I feel like it’s a must-see for any Sci-Fi fan. It’s definitely one of the coolest ‘coffee table’ books I’ve ever seen, and I can’t help thinking about all the people who would love to be given it as a gift!
Meet the Editors
Jeremy Frommer, Wall Street financier and media industry investor, has been collecting art and pop culture memorabilia for over 20 years. In 2009, he retired from the financial services industry, where he was senior managing director and global head of The Royal Bank of Canada’s Global Prime Services division. Soon thereafter, Frommer and his business partner, producer Rick Schwartz, began acquiring a number of intellectual properties and media assets. In early 2012, they formed Jerrick Ventures. Jerrick Ventures acquired the assets of Omni magazine, including its vast art collection.
Rick Schwartz is an award-winning film producer and financier based in New York. Throughout his career, he has worked on a wide range of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including The Aviator, Gangs of New York, Machete, and Black Swan. Schwartz has been involved with movies that have cumulatively grossed over one billion dollars in worldwide box office sales and earned 31 Academy Award nominations. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild, as well as a published writer whose work has appeared in such outlets as The Times of London, The Huffington Post, The Washington Times, and Grantland.
A Litte More About Omni
Founded in 1978, Omni Magazine was, for 20 years, one of the most influential science magazine in existence. Publishing early works by such authors as Orson Scott Card, William Gibson, George R.R. Martin, William S. Burroughs, Stephen King, and Joyce Carol Oats, the magazine was pioneering in its focus on “an original if not controversial mixture of science fact, fiction, fantasy and the paranormal.” Along with speculative essay and fiction, Omni published lush art essays and “space art.”
Omni lived in a time well before the digital revolution. The images you see on the pages have taken years to track down and brought the editors in touch with many esteemed artists, amazing photographers and dusty storage lockers. Their quest is far from over; you’ll notice an almost decade-long gap in the material, the contents of which were either lost or destroyed. Efforts to search throughout the universe for any images will continue and will be shared with the world at the all-things-Omni website, omnireboot.com. Stay tuned…
“Omni is not a science magazine. It is a magazine about the future…Omni was sui generis. Although there were plenty of science magazines over the years…Omni was the first magazine to slant all its pieces toward the future. It was fun to read and gorgeous to look at.” —Ben Bova, six-time Hugo award winner
All images are subject to copyright, powerHouse Books. Not to be used without permission.
