Pomp and incoherence. I don’t for a moment doubt the sincerity of the mourning multitudes that have descended on London over the last few days (the Lying-in-State queue is 5 miles long at time of writing) but as is often the case at these times of mass national emoting, I feel quite out of step with it all. However, even the most fervent Republican would have to acknowledge the historical significance of the moment, while still privately despairing at the performative grief and cloying solemnity currently blanketing the media. There’s nothing much left to say about ERII – good or bad, Monarchist or Republican – that hasn’t already been said. In fact most angles were exhaustively wrung out during the dead airtime that broadcasters had to fill last Thursday between the first anxious medical bulletins emanating from Balmoral and the official announcement of her death later that day. Which is my long-winded way of explaining why this attempt at an original visual metaphor just ended up looking thoroughly incoherent if not mildly deranged. Quelle surprise. Plus I’ve finally got Covid for the first time, which famously muddles the mind. Anyway, that’s it – occasion duly marked. . #pendrawing #sketchbook #adobephotoshop #monarchy #pompandcircumstance #illustration #cartoon #swipeleft (at Brighton) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cikomkpo1lX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
