INK DRAWING
/ 2019Inspired by his poetic song Steve McQueen, I created a series of two ink drawings portraying Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave when he was younger and how he looks now.
To me, the essence of the poem is the constant use of contrasts. Cave struggles since the death of his son with extremely contradictory thoughts. A part of him longs for death so he can be reunited with his son, but on the other hand he wants to enjoy the beauty life still has to offer, like the music he and his Bad Seeds make. Besides, Somebody’s gotta sing the rain. He feels like he has to comfort those who are suffering too by still performing and creating new music.
Since dying and staying alive couldn’t be bigger opposites, it is impossible to combine these two. That’s why I pictured Cave in the middle of a magnetic field, as a metaphor of the inner battle he can’t possibly win. Two poles repel eachother and symbolise eternal contradiction.
To me, the essence of the poem is the constant use of contrasts. Cave struggles since the death of his son with extremely contradictory thoughts. A part of him longs for death so he can be reunited with his son, but on the other hand he wants to enjoy the beauty life still has to offer, like the music he and his Bad Seeds make. Besides, Somebody’s gotta sing the rain. He feels like he has to comfort those who are suffering too by still performing and creating new music.
Since dying and staying alive couldn’t be bigger opposites, it is impossible to combine these two. That’s why I pictured Cave in the middle of a magnetic field, as a metaphor of the inner battle he can’t possibly win. Two poles repel eachother and symbolise eternal contradiction.
Nick Cave
Steve McQueen
Here I am the Moonlight Man with a six-barrel shooter
But I’m not that kinda guy, I have a dream
Sometimes I get the elevator to the top of the Burj Al Arab
And shoot my guns across Dubai
Bang, bang, bang, I’m that kinda guy
But mostly I curl up inside my typewriter
Curl up inside my typewriter and wish that I could die
Your legs are so long they should come with their own elevator
Don’t worry darling I’ll be coming around to see you later
Because between you and me and my best friend the housefly
I’m a Steve McQueen with a big, beautiful dream
I am god
I am god thinking about god thinking about Steve McQueen
It’s for me the sirens and the sylphs do their twilight pining
On Saturday night I walk on someone else’s stomach lining
Up and down the street, call me a cab, call me a cab
No I’m a housefly called God and I don’t give a fuck
Here I come up the elevator
Sixty floors hoping I don’t get stuck
And everyone out here does mean
And everyone out here does pain
But someone’s gotta sing the stars
And someone’s gotta sing the rain
I’m the atomizer
I’m the vaporizer
I turn everything to crud
I like it here in your flesh and blood
I’m the elevator man don’t you see?
You’re a spine lashed, long legged lovely young thing
Call me a cab, I’ll drive to the top of the Burj Al Arab and fire my guns across your stomach
Because someone’s gotta sing the stars
And someone’s gotta sing the rain
And someone’s gotta sing the blood
And someone’s gotta sing the pain
Watch out you fuckers
I’ve got my six shooter and my housefly on a lead
I’m Burj al-McQueen and I’m coming to make every last one of you bleed
God is great, chances are
God is good, well I wouldn’t go that far
I’m Steve McQueen the atrocity man
With my strap-on blood porn dream
But mostly I curl up inside my typewriter with my housefly and cry
I tell my housefly not to cry
My housefly tells me not to die
Because someone’s gotta sing the stars
And someone’s gotta sing the rain
And someone’s gotta sing the blood
And someone’s gotta sing the pain