Everygender, the Jugs
Everygender's Vision, (top right)
The Avenging Vessel, (bottom left)
both jugs 43x32 (incl handle,) x 27 cm
Photo: Sylvain Deleu
Everygender, comprised of four jugs, tells a pictorial story of my expulsion from Ceramic Art London in 2022 based on the Medieval Morality Play, 'Everyman.'
Everyman, (1530)
'Everyman' is thought to have been written and printed in the mid 16th century but was probably performed as part of the cycle of religious 'mystery plays,' long before that. This group of plays are still occasionally performed in York, Chester and Wakefield, in the UK.
The Quest for Grace and Salvation
The underlying narrative structure of the story of Everyman is the journey or quest, in this case, seeking salvation or attaining a state of grace and closeness to God. Everyman has to face numerous challenges - mainly from the devil in the form of temptations - to his moral rectitude on the way to prove his faith and, thereby, his worth. (see also Pilgrim's Progress.)
Modern and Contemporary Witch Hunts
I have adapted the contemporary impulse to expel 'heretics' from various groups, events, jobs, or institutions on the basis of holding non approved beliefs and, worse, uttering those heretical beliefs in public, as a form of religious ritual. It is comparable to a witch hunt but less fatal, so far. It is certainly scapegoating and has been compared to the McCarthyite expulsions and punishments in the USA in the mid 20th century, with some justification. Today's 'heretics' are sex realist women and some men, women critical of the sex trade, and anyone critical of religious fundamentalism or with a 'wrong' opinion on theIsrael/Hamas war.
Expulsion
In my version, Everyman is now Everygender and my sin was to express belief in sex realism. For this I had to be expelled from Ceramic Art London in order to secure the fair from a possible threat of protest which may derail it. The organiser of the fair at University of the Arts, London, (UAL,) where it was held, believed he had to prove his righteousness by identifying me and ensuring that I was removed from the schedule.
Everygender (the Jugs) is a contemporary morality play in 4 jugs/Acts: Act I, Everygender's Vision, Act II, The Plot, Act III, The Witch Hunt, and Act IV, The Avenging Vessel. Everygender's Vision shows Everygender unpacking his kiln, lightly brushing a pot, and unwittingly releasing the Gender Genie - the messenger who prophecies the 'mighty protest.' (The legal disclosures show there was no 'messenger' and no threat of protest.)
The Plot is the second act, in which Everygender hastens to the kIng to seek his wise counsel. Together they hatch a labyrinthine plot to 'prove' the witches 'heresy' and remove her. (This is all based on the legal disclosures.)
The Witch Hunt depicts the hunt in the forrest with the full cast of characters including the King, on his rocking horse, the Comms Team, with their trumpets, Everygender, leading a Pantomime Horse, (a mascot for the Craft Potters Association,) and assorted High Horses. Leading them all are The Hounds of Hell - Diversitay, Egalitay, and Inclusivitay, (DEI - are they, in fact, the hounds 'of God?') and some Hobby Horses. All necessary for a protest.
The Avenging Vessel, shows the escaped witch firing a mighty vessel in a dragon kiln, accompanied by the High Horses - exhausted and now feeding, The Hounds of Hell - resting, washing and feeding, and some zonked out hobby horses.
Everygender will be 'premièred at the forthcoming exhibition Vice & Virtue, at Ruup & Form, June 20th -July 26th.