Obvious State is a creative studio, their artwork and goods are inspired by beautiful language that has stood the test of time, poetry that stretches the imagination, and philosophy that prompts us to think deeply. Obvious State takes snippets of text from literature, philosophy, and poetry as inspiration for a visual response and illustration. 

“Strive to know yourself, for it is the most difficult lesson in the world.” – Cervantes

From the extraordinary Don Quixote. 

The maxim “know thyself” dates back to ancient Greece, inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. In its simplest form, the thought has been ascribed to Aeschylus, Socrates, Plato, Hobbes, Benjamin Franklin, Emerson, and more recently, it was inscribed over the Oracle’s door in The Matrix movies. 

They wanted to capture the challenge of a mind reflecting on itself in order to improve itself. In the illustration, a pair of hands piece together a puzzle of which they are a part.

Product Details:

• Cover: 18pt recycled chipboard made from recycled content & books
• 32 college ruled sheets, uncoated 70# paper
• Pocket sized: 3.5 x 5 inches
• Saddle stitched with matching black staples
• Made in US in partnership with Scout Books.

You can shop the collection here.