Stone Speaks, With Artist And Author Jess Hundley
Fine Art, Mysticism, & Rock N' Roll With The Founder & Creative Director of The Library Esoterica
Greetings, everybody.
If you are new here to this space, welcome! I’m Jobi, the voice & author behind the scenes of Moving Mountains, — a substack that invites readers & listeners to explore the depths of the creative process through engaging dialogues and reflections that dive deep into the heart of the artistic journey.
This month, I am joined by Jess Hundley, the visionary founder of the Library of Esoterica, published by TASHEN. An enchanting collection of encyclopedias that delve into the visual history of esoteric traditions. As an author, editor, and creative director, Hundley has skillfully woven together captivating narratives and breathtaking imagery to bring the realms of Tarot, Astrology, Witchcraft, and other mystical practices to life. Her work celebrates the diverse and fascinating world of esoteric knowledge, inspiring readers to explore the depths of these ancient wisdom traditions.
Before we began our conversation, I cracked a joke with Jess about the nature of the matter she explores in her work of esoteric i.e. magical media. I had a sneaky suspicion that perhaps the spirit of her material might play with our technology and alter the recording in some strange way. At the 30-minute mark, the recording paused just when were about to segway into a future book on the horizon and the realms of death deities. My apologies for the technological hiccup, hopefully, whatever was meant to remain hidden in our brief pause will be safely kept until the time is right for it to emerge.
Tune in with us as we dive into the world of her haunted New England Massachusetts origins, traversing the archetypal power of tarot, and swimming into the spaces between here and there. I hope you enjoy listening & learning from Jess as much as I did.
XO, J.
Sacred Sites. The Library of Esoterica
A visual pilgrimage through holy mountains, great pyramids, and golden shrines, Sacred Sites celebrates the ways we transform the world around us through ritual, creativity, and worship. Essays, interviews and more than 400 images explore spaces ranging from ancient temples to modern works of spatial art.
Hardcover, quarterbound, 6.7 x 9.4 in., 3.90 lb, 520 pages
Pre-order yours here.
To learn more about Jess Hundley please her website: www.jessicahundley.com
BIO
Jessica Hundley is a storyteller. In her writing, journalism, filmmaking and creative direction work, she delves into narrative art, music, counterculture, magick and psychedelia.
Writer
As an author and editor, Hundley is currently engaged on projects for book publishers Abrams, Phaidon and Rizzoli. Hundley is also creator, author and Series Editor for Taschen Publications multivolume collection, The Library of Esoterica, a book series exploring the visual history of Tarot, Astrology and other esoteric traditions. Hundley has published over a dozen books in the last decade, an acclaimed biography on country rock icon Gram Parsons for DaCapo, a book on music and meditation with the director David Lynch, and an overview of photographs from longtime Michael Jackson photographer Todd Gray and extensive overview of the photography of Dennis Hopper from Taschen Publications,
In her 20+ career as an arts, film and culture journalist, she has interviewed countless iconic actors, directors and musicians or publications such as Vogue, Rolling Stone, NY Times, Mojo and many others. As an editor, Hundley has served as masthead editor for men’s magazine Complex, music mag The Fader, and the UK magazine Dazed and Confused. She has contributed essays on music and culture to several books as well as penning liner notes for numerous record labels.
Creative Director
As a lead Creative Director for various high-profile artists and brands, Hundley's recent work includes overseeing staging, visuals and overall concepting for John Legend's 2021 Bigger Love Tour and Legend’s 2022-23 Las Vegas residency. Hundley continues to work collaboratively with John Legend and his team as a Creative Director and Producer, overseeing the recent launch of Legend's LOVED01 skin care line, as well as album art, limited edition book and album packaging and commercial projects. Hundley also served as co-creative director alongside Darren Romanelli on the DomeRX an immersive art experience at the 2022 FORMAT Festival. Other recent copywriting and creative directing work includes drink brand GHIA and an expansive campaign for Corona/Mexico alongside the team at CAA/Observatory. Hundley also spearheaded the restoration and re-release of Dennis Hopper’s lost 1970 classic, The Last Movie. Working alongside The Hopper Art Trust, Hundley is currently overseeing the film’s worldwide distro and accompanying experiential campaign, as well as soundtrack release.
Filmmaker
As a filmmaker, Hundley has served as director and producer on numerous music videos & commercials. Her documentary short on Latino fans of The Smiths, "Viva Morrissey" screened at the Edinburgh and SXSW film festivals. Hundley also directed and produced, "Such Hawks, Such Hounds", a feature-length music documentary on the American hard rock underground.