New York's Azart Gallery presents its inaugural show, "The Many Faces of Kin (←→)," an exhibition that celebrates the release of Pat Metheny’s newest recording on Nonesuch Records, due out next week, and offers a glimpse into the evolution and execution of the album cover art by its designers at Doyle Partners. The exhibition opens with a reception for the artists tonight and continues through February 15.

Many of Metheny’s earlier covers have involved collages, and with this record, the guitarist/composer wanted a return to that kind of imagery. "From the very beginning of my career, the album artwork of each project has an important place in the overall identity of every recording," says Metheny. "I have always felt a kind of resonance with an aesthetic that imposes the juxtaposition of differing colors and textures in close proximity, since to me that is often a core element of the music that I have made."

"To create an image representing Pat’s notion of 'kin'—that we are all connected by our humanity and histories," says Doyle, "we wanted to create a faceted face, representing all races, and collage was the perfect medium to assemble an iconic image of 'everyman' composed of color and culture."

The Azart Gallery can be found in the Terminal Store Building at 617 West 27 Street in New York City; for more information, visit the gallery’s web site at azartgallerynyc.com.

Pat Metheny Unity Group's new album, Kin (←→), is due out next week. To pre-order the album on CD and vinyl and receive an exclusive print of the cover art autographed by Metheny, head to the Nonesuch Store now.