Matthew Layzell
Kingston University
Explanation of work
One story in Kerouac’s book involves Dean Moriarty dancing around the street with his bandaged thumb in the air. This stuck in my mind and I thought the image of a wounded ‘thumbs up’ would reflect Kerouac’s tales of weather-beaten characters drinking, dancing and laughing in the face of constant social disaster. Combining that with the action of ‘thumbing’ a ride, I wanted the cover image to be a bold statement with the arm in such a position that as the book was opened and closed it would be hitching a ride itself.
