The end of the Election is coming closer. And while some will be more pleased with this than others, there is a realistic chance that our lovely Captivating Princess wins. In that scenario, the Princess has the power of both the Royal Family and the Mayor’s Office to back her plan for a great Art Festival, which will change London forever.
She hasn’t revealed what will happen at that festival yet, and it may not actually happen at all, but Her Royal Highness is confident. She has already instructed some of her loyal subjects to start searching for artists across Neath.
If you where one of the artists receiving the honour to pitch an artwork for the Festival, what would you suggest? What would you build, paint, craft, sculpt, or perform for the entertainment of our Princess (and for the future of your fellow Londoners)?
The only criterion for entries is ‘they won’t be possible to forget.’
Hulking, abstract & slowly collapsing monoliths made from the numerous wreckages of Tramp Steamers that litter the coastline around London. Jagged and looming sculptural reminders that compared to the Zee, which was here before us and will long outlast us, we are Nothing Of Consequence.
Or, I dunno, some nice watercolours. Painted in Violant, of course, so that no matter how rubbish they are, they cannot be forgotten. edited by Barse on 6/29/2018
I would line an avenue with actors ‘locked’ in cages who, through screaming and tortured contortions, would portray themselves as the object of Red Honey dreams. I would title it ‘Making London Magnificent.’[li] edited by Lady Sapho Byron on 6/29/2018
I would display the arts that change the body - the more complex tattoos of zailors and spies, but also the Shapeling Arts, and the Sharpnesses of Anthe, and the changes brought on by Red Honey and the flesh of monsters. There is something uniquely Neathlike in this dissolution of form, a perverse beauty in the constant clashes of warped bone against mineralized flesh. Humanity, torn to shreds in front of a stunned audience.
Ideally, by the end of the spectacle I would emerge out of my old body a resplendent moth, coated in all the colours of the rainbow, but that is relatively unlikely to happen.
I wouldn’t add any of my own artwork. Instead, I’d sponsor that Bohemian student from the Finishing School who sketched that portrait of Sinning Jenny, the one that "would certainly distress the censors." I’d say that qualifies as "not possible to forget."
Love the idea, but how about a different direction? Election-style posters for the Vake, the Fingerkings, the God-Eaters, the Dawn Machine, the Bazaar, uhh who else. Is Poor Edvard evil enough? I haven’t met the guy.
Since the impetus for the exhibition is the Princess’ presentation of her own reflections on her identity and nature contrasted with how she is perceived by others, I thought it might be interesting to center my own work around that theme.
It will be, as I have planned it thus far, a selection of souls in colored bottles, each of which will be somehow distinct in appearance or in manner. Each soul will be presented alongside a card indicating the observed habits and behaviors of the person whom the soul last occupied, and the audience will be encouraged to speculate as to how the nature of the host influenced the appearance of their soul. Of course, the cards will contain only imaginary observations, and be matched with their souls at random, but only the Princess and I will know that. And now I suppose all of you will as well, but I trust you not to spoil the fun. ^_~[li]
Our contribution to the festival shall be an accurate recreation of the skeleton of the Princess, recreated in miniature using bones from Corpsecage island. If we don’t think of anything better in the meantime, that is.
A statue or the Princess, absolutely riddled with knives. Stabbed in the head is a thousand echo wanted poster, for "making sure the Princess matches her statue."
A whirring, clicking machine of brass and gears moving and shifting to all manner of aesthetically pleasing configurations.
…Oh alright. And it brews coffee.