Cupid and VenUs
pAiNtInGs From tHe bLuE hOuSe
paRKwAy cAMden toWN nW1
yImA: tHe morRoCan tEa rOOm oN ThE gROund flOoR & bAsEmENt wHere aRTistS, muSicIaNs, fILm maKeRs aNd oThER crEaTivE SoULs wOUld gAthER
my fRieND aND arTIsT hAsSaN hAjJaJ wORkeD On tHE sEcOnd fLoOr aNd I wAS oN THe tOp fLOOr
tHiS wAS mY cREatIVe sANctUAry
wHen i pAiNteD aT NighT i COulD oFTen hEAr tHe dARbUkA dRumS pLaYIng fRoM tHE TeNt tHaT fILlEd tHE BaCk gARdeN
i’M mOrE Of A piCTurE mAKer tHaN aN arTIsT i JuST waNT tO gET tHe ImAge i sEE dOwN oN CAnvAS Or wOoD aS qUIcKlY aS i CaN
i SeE tHeSe pIctURes As rItUaLIseD iMagEs oF mY tHouGhT drEaMS
pAIntiNg tHe mORtAliTY oF thINgs, noT JuSt wItH A mOdeL BuT loOkInG aT a PLatE oR a GuItAR
aS iF eVerYthING hAS a sPEctRE oF iTSelF
eVerYtHIng wE aRE & eVERytHINg wE tOUch iS A fuTUre gHosT
i seNse A fORebOdINg wHeN i pAinT a sENsE oF tHe iNeViTaBLe
i wRoTe wOrdS ThE iMaGeS i PaINtEd wOuLD bReEd
tHeSe wOrDS wERe tHE sEeDs oF SonGs i WAs tO wRItE
pIcTuRes From mY dReAmS hAvE lEd mE tO sOMeWhEre eLse
bUt a pICturE iS A vErY sTatIc tHIng tO lOoK aT
i aM
sTaRtEd woRKiNg wiTH fAsHioN deSIgnEr aNnE-sOpHiE dUBoiS ON aN idEA bASeD oN pAiNtInGs i HaD dOne iN thE bLuE hOUse
i dReW cUpId dIreCTly oNTo thE moDEl aS sHe wORe thE tOiLe & tHen pAinTed tHe IMagE oN tHe mANnEqUiN
aNd sO tHe iMagE Of cUPid eMerGeD tHRouGH gARlAnDS & mEMoRiES oF dEsIRe & dEAth sTiLl tO cOMe oN tHe veNUs wHo wEaRs iT
sHe iS thE lIfE THat lOVeS & bRIngS lIFe sHe dReAmS oF dESiRe & dANcEs tHe iLlUsiOn
