Hôtel costes 14 - Stéphane Pompougnac 6.12.2010

Triskaidekaphobia the technical term applicable to the fear of the number 13. The legend of the basis of this fear is widespread, with biblical connotations, Norse, Persian and even Freemasonry references. In 1881, a club was formed called the Thirteen Club made up of influential New Yorkers who sought to dispel this particular superstition, and all members survived all of their attempts to tempt fate by ignoring this and other superstitions. Fast forward 100 plus years and the most noticeable aspect of this ongoing superstition continues in the fact that most buildings with as many floors will never label the dreaded thirteenth floor by simply calling it 14! Hotels will typically stay away from assigning 13 to a room number.

This is the case at the famed Hôtel Costes in Paris, France, where chambre 13 simply does not exist! The newest album in the eponymous series was released, but in observance of the long standing legend, we present number fourteen in the series by creator and curator, Stephane Pompougnac. After a decade of award winning, multi-million selling albums, number 14 is considered a return to the roots of the series and the starting point of the next decade of what is sure to continue to be the series that inspires all others who attempt to copy the formula so well established as is this seminal brand.