The famed Blackwing pencil has a limited edition series called Volumes. Each quarter they release a new box of 12 pencils celebrating the people, places and events that have defined our creative culture. The Volumes series has become highly collectible.
Volume 2 acknowledges that art brings about change. It features a special cracked Glow-in-the-Dark design and an all-new 2X Firm Graphite specially formulated for this release. Box of 12 pencils.
The Story: In 1973, art found itself at the forefront of a cultural shift. The United States military had just pulled out of Vietnam after nearly two decades and midcentury optimism had given way to uncertainty. Art, even when created for mass appeal, took on a darker tone. 1973's highest-grossing movie - The Exorcist - and top-selling album - Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon - gave us a glimpse into the cultural landscape of the time.
The following year, a new wave of art - films like Chinatown and albums like Bob Marley’s Natty Dread - shined a light on a broken system. And gave us the tools to understand it. Art reflects the world around us and helps us process complex issues so that we can move forward. Leonard Cohen once said “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Art creates cracks in the world’s darkest places, letting in the light of knowledge.
Fifty years later, the Blackwing 2 is a tribute to art’s role in bringing about change throughout history. The cracked glow-in-the-dark design that plays on the duality of art and the challenging realities that inspire it.
