ICARUS - the man who fell
I began working on some imagery based on the myth of Icarus in preparation for a teaching programme. I ended up making a complete book. The pages do not follow any narrative sequence, but they are linked by a red thread - reference to the thread that guided Theseus out of the labyrinth (which was built by Daedalus, Icarus's father).
Many of the pages are built from transfer-rubbings of photos I took in the Victoria and Albert Museum and of churches in France overlaid with paint, then drawn and collaged over. I use hand-cut stencils, freehand drawing and other bits and bobs. I hope this sequence is on-going... I certainly need to re-work a few.
The pictures here appear in no definitive order.
I began working on some imagery based on the myth of Icarus in preparation for a teaching programme. I ended up making a complete book. The pages do not follow any narrative sequence, but they are linked by a red thread - reference to the thread that guided Theseus out of the labyrinth (which was built by Daedalus, Icarus's father).
Many of the pages are built from transfer-rubbings of photos I took in the Victoria and Albert Museum and of churches in France overlaid with paint, then drawn and collaged over. I use hand-cut stencils, freehand drawing and other bits and bobs. I hope this sequence is on-going... I certainly need to re-work a few.
The pictures here appear in no definitive order.
> Click on each image to enlarge it.
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/9728810.jpg?173)
Title page
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/4090611.jpg)
Daedalus wonders what he made -
his aim to confuse,
both to imprison and set free
his aim to confuse,
both to imprison and set free
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/3440196.jpg)
the remains of a labyrinth can be seen,
particularly when the sun is at a particular angle
particularly when the sun is at a particular angle
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/426960.jpg)
i'm my father's boy
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/6343019.jpg)
lift me from the earth
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/433330.jpg)
oh bewilderment of wings!
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/49942.jpg)
you, mother, would have worried -
the cold, the rain, the heat
the cold, the rain, the heat
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/1688971.jpg)
they looked so beautiful, rank
on rank on rank
on rank on rank
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/1415497.jpg)
1800 revs
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/7753356.jpg)
head spinning ...
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/8698656.jpg)
past the cross
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/4705885.jpg)
measured testing
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/2725863.jpg)
the tower, the view
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/5712077.jpg)
and so he arced them
as his father watched fixt'ly
and the boy began to fall ...
as his father watched fixt'ly
and the boy began to fall ...
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/519210.jpg)
the deck was suddenly covered with feathers
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/1589790.jpg)
tumbling and pitching and the light, the light
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/3491962.jpg)
the boat, the sea so close -
(too close, too close)
(too close, too close)
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/5755073.jpg)
l'homme qui est tombe
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/3913328.jpg)
fall / burn
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/1595609.jpg)
a stone angel from the fragile 'plane flew
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/9618746.jpg)
I remembered being earth-bound
amidst the kicking yellow
amidst the kicking yellow
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/6605668.jpg)
... and fell
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/6719485.jpg)
like a flock of falling starlings
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/9/1/18911957/3546647.jpg)
But, I flew