Phil Hansen to create artwork for the Grammy Awards

Innovative artist Phil Hansen has been selected to create the official artwork for the 51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards. The imaginative and unique piece will be used as the official artwork for the world's premier music event and will grace the cover of the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards program book, telecast tickets, and promotional poster. Additionally, a unique and entertaining time-lapse "making of" video is available at http://www.youtube.com/51stGRAMMYs and will also be available on GRAMMY.com, CBS.com and numerous social networking sites. The 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Feb. 8, 2009, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

"We are so proud to have Phil Hansen, who has a truly one-of-a-kind vision, create this year's vibrant artwork," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "By creating not only a physical work but also a video companion piece with a musical element, Phil combines many of the artistic disciplines The Academy strives to celebrate and puts a unique stamp on our annual artwork as the GRAMMY Awards head into the next 50 years. This piece truly exemplifies the spirit of the music industry's most coveted award."

Hansen has been on the cutting edge of online distribution and using the Web as a virtual museum for his paintings, videos and multimedia pieces. His approach has allowed audiences to connect with his artwork in creative new ways. His work often incorporates surprising media (eggs, Oreo cookies, matchsticks) and often has a video component. With some of his most daring work, the video is the only remaining evidence of the art.

For "Jimi," Hansen constructed an image of guitar great Jimi Hendrix in performance mode out of matchsticks, and then lit the piece on fire, a fitting tribute to Hendrix's own legendary guitar-burning performances. His piece "Destruction" uses graphite on eggs, the latter of which are then broken one-by-one.

Hansen's creative approach of utilizing the Web to connect individuals and his art has been featured on "Good Morning America," "CBS Early Show," "The Rachael Ray Show," CNN, and on the CW's Online Nation as well as internationally in South Korea, Canada and England. His "Bruce" creation, which he submitted to CNN via its I-Report, has been viewed more than 3 million times on YouTube, Break and MySpace combined.

Hansen, a self-taught artist, grew up in Shelton, Wash. He began his artistic career evolving the craft of pointillism but soon discovered that time-lapse videos capturing the process of creating his art was an art in itself. He continues to improve his technique and currently lives in St. Paul, Minn., where he creates most of his art in the basement of his home. To learn more about Hansen and to experience some of his work, please visit www.philinthecircle.com.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.