PAST SHOW

"Thrones Scatter" by Brian Patterson

October 19 - November 10, 2007
Opening reception: Friday, October 19, 6-9pm

These paintings are selected illustrations from a story called thrones scatter. Itís a story about a kingdom not unlike our own that had a king who asked the ultimate question to his kingdom. He summoned his people and poised the rhetoric, ìWhat did the fetus say to the Mexican?î Baffled and clueless, the kingdom was made to wait one day to hear the answer to this most pertinent question. However, the next morning it was discovered that the king had been stolen in the night by a foul and unholy beast. The kingdom prayed through the eerie night for the safe return of their king. The next morning no less than twenty feet of snow had fallen and a baby was born to an unwed mother. But this was no ordinary child. He had the power of great warmth and would age one year with each passing night. He could melt snow with his eyes and burn wood with his hands. By weekís end the child had the stature of a seven-year-old boy. The kingís people hailed the child for starting wood ablaze and growing food in the dead of their sudden winter with his uncanny gift of warmth and maturity. The boy was then elected to go forth and hunt the evil beast that had stolen their king and return him to his throne. But before the boy embarked he met the graces of a young virgin, one of delicacy and fine feelings - a beguiling and sweet beast in herself. He told her that he would return in one week with the king and having drank of a water that would halt his aging and he would be of age for her and he would make her his wife. And if she would not be his wife, he would not return at all. The boy set forth, melting snow into raging rivers and lakes along his way in search of this heinous beast. It was nearly a week into his trek that he sat for a rest. He closed his eyes and began to build a man made from snow and intuition. He opened his eyes to gaze upon his manifestation to be enamored by what he saw. It had a button nose and two eyes of glowing coal. He said to this man of snow, ìYou will be my friend and companionî. ìYes I will.î replied the man of snow. ìYou can talk?î, ìOf course I can talk - you created me.î ìVery well, you will help me find the king.î ìAlright, I will show you to your king, but in return you must do one thing for me.î ìAnything you ask.î The man of snow told him to look into his left eye and he would see where the king came from. The boy did so and saw an empty throne. The man of snow then told him to gaze into his right eye and he would see where the king is going. He did so again and saw the same empty throne. ìNow, young man, if you look into both of my eyes, you will see what the fetus said to the Mexican, and in so doing, you will know the kingís current whereabouts.î Pausing just a moment, the boy gazed into both of the snowmanís eyes. The boy then fell to his knees, he then knew both bliss and terror. He cried tears that were the same of sadness and laughter. He wailed and wished to not wish but laughed as he knew this moment was infinite. ìNow, it is time I tell you what I want ñ you will spare me. I wish to be kept frozen and be taken back to your kingdom where you will reign as the king of winter and I will be your advisor.î ìBut I saw in your eye the king would return to his throne.î ìHe will return as worthless.î ìAnd if I melt you?î ìThen you release me to haunt you. I will be in the clouds of the sky, the blue of the sea ñ in the veins of those you love. You will owe me but have no escape.î The boy, troubled by his dilemma, then melted the man of snow with his eyes and cupped his hands and drank his melted flesh. The boy then took the branches that were the snow manís arms and grew blossoms from them. The boy turned back to the kingdom where he would return and give these flowers to his waiting queen.