AboutChris M. Zangara Expertise I`m not only a Zeppelin collector but I have been collecting Zeppelin - Page(solo) Plant(solo) and Page/Plant for over 18 years. I am truly a lover of Page/Plant music in & out of Zeppelin simply because of the honesty of it all. - I have been studying them for as long as I have been listening to Rock/Blues Music. I look forward to any question and will answer the very best I can - as above all - I am just a fan like you!
Question Hi Chris, I was just wondering if you knew what the significance of the obolisque on Presence. I have been wondering this for a long time and have searched and my results have turned up nothing. Any information is appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Answer Hi Bryan,
The significance, as well as the title of the album, of the object was - if you look at the album cover - that no matter how different a person's situation is, there is a 'presence' that makes us all feel at home, maybe as far as to say equal. Hence in each photo used on the cover, there is an 'object' slipped into each situation. Instead of fear at this strange thing, notice that all involved are right at home and happy with this object, like it's guardian of sorts, or just life force in general.
The object was designed by Jimmy Page and approved by the group. It was made by hipgnosis, famous for it's artwork on many artists’ covers, including Pink Floyd and other Zep albums. It was inspired by the strange, unexplained monolisk from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Jimmy was quoted by reporter Lisa Robinson around 1976 the time of the albums release, "...the 'object' is just something that everybody is at home with, they feel totally at ease with. I mean it could have been anything really; it's just like a black hole. The best thing about it is that, [like Zeppelin's music], one can draw one's interpretation from it. There are so many interpretations one can put on it because it covers all aspects - sports, leisure, education, work, family - it's all there."
