"It is not down in any map; true places never are." - Herman Melville
From Chapter 12 of his masterpiece, Moby Dick, in which we learn the origin story of Ishmael's close companion Queequeg. The specific reference is to the obscure island where Queequeg was born, but we love the universal wisdom in the line.
Nothing reacquaints us with ourselves quite like travel. Here, we have a map that transforms into a Rorschach test, and a compass that points to things truer than North.
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Any 3 prints for $48 (regularly $72)
Code: 3PRINTS
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Obvious State is a creative studio and publisher founded by Nichole and Evan Robertson in 2011.
We make bold, illustrated editions and art drawn from the classics.
Our books and prints are available in our shop and in bookstores and boutiques nationwide.
Our work has been featured at The Folger Shakespeare Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Writers Museum, The Emily Dickinson Museum, The Library of Congress, The Getty Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art and more.
Every piece is illustrated by Evan Robertson — a single artistic vision applied to some of the greatest works ever written.
Provocative visuals paired with punctuated language, full of surprising visual metaphors, subtext, and insider nudges.
Our pocket editions are portable art objects made to collect, share, and inspire moments of quiet reflection in an overstimulated digital world.
We’re drawn to language that has stood the test of time, insights that strike a chord, poetry that stretches the imagination, and philosophy that prompts critical thinking.
