If you’re an ’80s kid chances are you have certain CD covers burned into memory, similar to a ghost image on an old TV. The baby swimming in a pool from Nirvana, perhaps, or the dude from Aphex Twin grinning like a crazy-eyed demon.
Well, now it’s time to reconsider what you think of as CD cover art. A traveling exhibit titled “UltraHive 4” at the gallery FM Oakland – coming from L.A., going to Tokyo next – has gathered more than 100 artists to design their own surreal dream covers.
The traveling exhibit “UltraHive 4” is on view until Sept. 26, 2026, at the FM Oakland art gallery in Oakland, Calif. It features more than 100 artists designing their own CD-case covers. Pictured: “Lunar Omen” by Macario Angulo. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group)
One cover is titled “Sanpaku Cthulhu” and features a crying Billie Eilish surrounded by octopus tentacles. “Living Without Knowing Whether I’m Hurting, Protecting or Hiding” is a three-dimensional mask of what looks like an android protruding from the CD case. Another cover titled “I Am the Walrus” is simply that – a rad-looking walrus wearing sunglasses.
“This vibrant and eclectic exhibition showcases artists from around the globe, each contributing unique works that explore the CD cover as both canvas and concept,” the gallery writes. “From reimagined album art to sculptural pieces crafted from actual CD cases, the show celebrates the cultural legacy of physical media while pushing the boundaries of contemporary art.”
Details: On view 1-5 p.m. Saturday and every first Friday of the month from 5-9 p.m. until Sept. 26, 2026, at 483 25th St., Oakland; https://fmoakland.com