Margo Nahas uses many elements to get across a central idea in his artwork of Van Halen’s 1984 album cover. No matter age or experience, one is always deciding their pathway to heaven or hell. This album cover begs one to question their own past. Color, figure and setting are three main elements that lead the viewer to think of their own decisions. Nahas wants us all to come to a personal conclusion when one comes across this artwork. Not only does the image make the viewer question, but it forces the viewer to come to a realization of their own life, from day one to their current status. 

The colors of this piece are used by Nahas for extreme interpretation. The red and white cigarettes are what may catch one’s eye at first. As the child of the painting seems to be smoking the cigarette out of the white pack, this symbolizes his strong desire of going up to heaven one day. However, the red pack of cigarettes lingers below the white, representing that hell will always coexist with the good in the world. The placement and color of the cigarette packs are what has lead to the belief that they represent heaven and hell. The blue background along with the fancy marble countertop may allow one to believe the child is on their way to heaven. The red font of the Van Halen text on top of the cover also represents the bad in the world. Even though the child is placed in the sky and seems to be flying up to heaven with his angel wings, there still exists some type of atrocious mood within these positive vibes, which is confirmed by the placement of the red text. Paulo Coelho once said, “Life moves very fast. It rushes from heaven to hell in a matter of seconds.” This album cover freezes this quote in time, as the child is caught in this transition. As the idea of heaven is constantly lingered by the red colors of hell, the child can only think about that he’s done to get to this major decision in his life already. 

Nahas’s use of a child in his artwork is what appeals to the viewers emotions. As the child appears to own adult characteristics, the viewer has no choice but to think about their own identity. The advanced hairstyle of the child shows the sophistication and intelligence of him, however the cigarette he seems to be smoking highlights the child’s flaws. These two actions are what may be indirectly causing the child to think about heaven and hell. The boy’s posture and facial expression seem like he is stuck in deep regret as he looks back on his past. Other objects such as the marble countertop and the angel wings on the child have an additional affect. These two specific objects allow for a “push and pull” affect between heaven and hell, similarly to the hairstyle and cigarette. The child is literally trapped between the two environments. We can assume that this child is too young to think intelligently on its own. What has forced this child to make this decision so early? His parents or siblings may be at fault for this, but one may think it’s simply just from living. Every single second of every single day, humans are making thousand of decisions, no matter if they require thinking or not. As of now, this child is choosing his actions solely off of instinct and human nature. But it’s young adults and the elderly who should ponder this image. The use of the child also highlights how humans should make beneficial decisions when nobody is watching; Nahas believes that god is always watching. These ideas can best be described by Tony Robbin’s quote: “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” 

This somewhat-rebellious child seems to be placed in the middle of the atmosphere to represent a transition in humans’ lives because of our choices. Most humans have that climax in their life where they come to a realization or a major change at some point. This child has seemed to somehow experience it already. All of the good represented by the wings and the sky have been suddenly questioned by the child because of his facial expression and the act of smoking. 

Without “Van Halen” written on this artwork, one would never think that this is a cover to music. This child has been torn between two environments, eventually leading to his fate. We all will experience this in some type of way, no matter if it’s the choice to changing ones diet because they’ve realized they’ve gained too much weight,  or one’s death. Use of color, figure, and setting combine to tell how our decisions, no matter big or small, impact our fate in some type of way.  