the trumpet of the swan

A stem cup from North China, late seventh or early eighth century. Silver with embossing, chasing, engraving and microscopic traces of gilding.

1. make a syllabus for yourself - books, media, places, recipes

2. complete 40% of it

A c1950 vintage intertwined swan ring, in sterling silver. Unsigned, but very similar to a ring designed and made by Mosheh Oved, an English antique dealer and jewelry designer who's figural rings are sought after by collectors. 

Cormorant fishing in Yangshuo near Guilin, Guangxi, China. Christian Vaisse

Billie Whitelaw in the UK premiere of Samuel Beckett’s Not I at the Royal Court Theatre in 1973. Not I calls for a mouth in a black void, disembodied and hovering high above the stage. Accordingly, Whitelaw is swathed and hooded in black fabric to hide her body. The rectangular objects on either side of her head are the ends of a sort of clamp to hold her head in place (Whitelaw said this prevented her getting the shakes). The wire leads to earpieces, so she could be prompted in the text if she got lost.

The strange outfit and apparatus in this photo would not have been visible to the audience, of course; all of its parts are either masking Whitelaw or keeping her oriented and still. Her lower face was covered with black makeup so that the mouth itself, lined in red, was the only visible part of her body, illuminated with a miniature spotlight. All elements of the physical and lighting design were executed by Jocelyn Herbert.

“Every night was like falling backwards into hell, there was no way round and it was awful. I still get dizzy just remembering the play and, in fact, the tension damaged my spine and I have had to see a neurologist ever since. I call it raging Beckettitis.” - Billie Whitelaw

Pair of Stockings

c. 1900

Embroidered and machine-knitted silk with sequins and beads

France