Norms do… | The Daily Norm

Dec 19

The Norm Nativity | Visit of the Three Wise Norms

The Shepherd Norms weren’t the only Norms heading towards the stable in Bethlehem. Three exceptionally wise Norms who each in turn lorded over little glittering neighbouring kingdoms in Eastern Normland had heard about the birth of a new King of Kings, a Norm to save all of the world, and decided that it was only right and proper that they visit this future great Norm a visit. And how to find this little Norm who had been born in a mere stable without an address? Well luckily an ever brightening star had appeared before their path, and guessing that the star was acting as a kind of celestial guide towards their destination, the three Wise Norms followed the star towards Jesus Norm.

The only problem was that the star kept on moving, and as it did so took the Wise Norms over fields and mountains, rocky plains and wide expanses of perilous sandy desert. Luckily they were not on foot, travelling instead upon the seated humps of their trusty camels, ensuring that not only their lavish persons remained clean and unweathered by the journey, but also that their presents of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh remained safely installed above all of the sandy terrain. Let’s hope they make it to Bethlehem safely…

The Three Wise Norms (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and gold paint on paper)

Come back next time, to see where both the Wise Norms and the Shepherd Norms ended up! In the meantime, here is Matthew’s account of the Magi’s visit, the only one of the gospels to mention it.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path.

Matthew 2:1-12

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

The Norm Nativity | Journey to Bethlehem (daily-norm.com)
The Norm Nativity | The Annunciation (daily-norm.com)
The Norm Nativity | Angels visit the Shepherds (daily-norm.com)

Dec 16

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The Norm Nativity | Angels visit the Shepherds

In the last installment of the Norm Nativity, we left poor Mary Norm and Joseph Norm upon their arrival in the little town of Bethlehem. With not a room to be found in inn nor hotel, they were facing a night out sleeping rough – hardly the best conditions for giving birth to the promised one. Luckily for them, the surprisingly sharp intuition of Nancy the donkey led them all to a far warmer and cosier alternative (if a little pongy) – a stable on the outskirts of town, where soon enough Mary Norm lapsed into the inevitable agonies of labour, and gave birth to a darling little Norm baby who they called Jesus Norm, who was very soon comfortably installed on a bed of hay in a manger.

The birth of Jesus Norm very soon caused waves of celestial excitement. Above the stable, a particularly bright star grew even brighter, and in the stars around it, angel Norms started gathering to celebrate the birth, flying then from place to place to spread the great news. One of the first places they visited was a nearby field, where a group of shepherds sat about having a little evening supper after a hard day looking after their not insubstantial flock. When the shepherds caught sight of a group of angels coming towards them, they almost collapsed in shock – their poor little sheep didn’t know what to do with themselves and promptly hid behind their shepherd masters. Only when the excitement of the news relayed by the angels sunk in did the shepherds (and the sheep) begin to settle, jumping up with some excitement and declaring that they must visit the baby forthwith!

So unto Bethlehem the shepherds headed then, to see little baby Jesus Norm in all his glory. Join the Norm Nativity next time to see who else is making their way to celebrate the birth.

Angels visit the Shepherd Norms (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and gold paint on paper)

In the meantime, here’s how another writer, one Luke, described the angels’ visit in the bible:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Luke 2: 8-15

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

The Norm Nativity | The Annunciation (daily-norm.com)
The Norm Nativity | Journey to Bethlehem (daily-norm.com)

Dec 12

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The Norm Nativity | Journey to Bethlehem

In the last instalment of The Norm Nativity, we left Mary Norm just as she had learnt the startling news, from her visitor Angel Gabriel Norm, that she was due to give birth to a son called Jesus Norm. The visit from a flying angel would have been startling enough, but the news that Mary was somehow inexplicably become pregnant despite being an untouched virgin was enough to make the hardest of souls go soft in the head. But not Mary Norm. Strengthened with the affirmation that the baby Norm she was carrying would one day be a saviour of the world, she was determined to do this properly. And so, having told her then boyfriend, now hubby Joseph Norm the rather stunning news (and having finally got over the months of arguments when he accused her of having an affair – it was inevitable I suppose), Mary Norm and Joseph Norm set out on their old little donkey, Nancy, and made their way to Bethlehem, the city of Joseph’s birth and thus where they were required to register the oncoming birth of their child.

As Luke more eloquently tells us…

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Luke 2:1-5

Journey to Bethlehem (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and gold paint on paper)

So over hostile terrain they travelled for days, their worldly possessions, and the heavily pregnant Mary Norm pilled upon poor Nancy’s back, trekking across dessert and wide open plains until finally they could see the little town of Bethlehem glittering like a mirage in the distance. But their relief was short lived, for no sooner had they made out the outline of the city than they had caught sight of various road-side advertising posts advertising hotels and inns – yet all of these adverts bore the ominous news that all of the accommodation was booked up! (Well, it was Christmas I suppose…) What would Mary Norm and Joseph Norm do? Find out… next time!

The Norm Nativity | The Annunciation (daily-norm.com)

Dec 5

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The Norm Nativity | The Annunciation

In 2011, I brought you the Norm Christmas Carol. Last year we watched the developing tale of Normy and Normette’s turbulent relationship in the 12 Days of Normy Christmas. And this year I bring you, exclusive to The Daily Norm, The Norm Nativity! It’s a story which is known throughout the world, which fostered a global religion two millennia ago, and without which there would be no Christmas. But never before has the Nativity story, favourite of nursery schools throughout the land, been played out by the Norms. That is, until now.

It all began with the Annunciation. When, 9 months before Christmas day, the Angel Gabriel Norm visited Mary Norm and told her the startling news that she was to give birth to a son called Jesus Norm. Incredulous with disbelief (and having dropped the sponge in shock which only moments before she had been dutifully cleaning her dusty terracotta floor with), Mary could not understand how she, having not indulged in any such…err…action as could be said to lead naturally to the instigation of a pregnancy, was to have a baby. But at that moment a little dove flew through the air, and appeared almost to pierce her belly with life – some would have it that that very dove was the Holy Spirit incarnate.

Norm Nativity: The Annunciation (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and gold ink on paper)

And so it was that Mary Norm became pregnant with a little baby Norm who’s name she already knew. But an old writer known as Luke puts it much better than me:

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:26-38

Nine months later and with a baby Norm well on its way, it was time for Mary Norm and her new husband Joseph Norm to register their forthcoming baby, and of course for Mary Norm to give birth. Find out what happened in the next instalment of the Norm Nativity… coming soon!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Nov 12

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BreathNorm – Norms inspired by De Waal

For an artist like myself, whose almost complete inability to paint in anything but the brightest of colours (as followers of this blog, or indeed of my art website may have realised) has made colour something of a trademark of my creative output, I sometimes surprise even myself when I start to find myself drawn towards simple, monochrome, muted colourless creations. It happened for example earlier this year, when I shunned the great pasty-coloured nudes of Lucien Freud in order to give my full attention to the stunning works in black and white that are his etchings. Completely captivated by the simplicity of the medium, yet the extent of intricacy and emotion he was able to capture in simple black lines, I became obsessed by printmaking, and started etching myself – a pursuit which continues to occupy many of my weekends as I dabble further in this new medium.

Now it has happened again, with the pots of De Waal. As I described in my post yesterday, I was delighted when, by sheer coincidence as I am reading my way through the enthralling pages of The Hare with Amber Eyes, I caught a documentary on the BBC’s Imagine show last week, focusing on the book’s author. While I was fully expecting my attention to be held by all references in the programme to the book which has captivated me for the last few weeks of reading, what I wasn’t expecting was to become so completely enamoured by the artworks which this great novelist also creates. I say also – however art is in fact Edmund De Waal‘s primary calling in life, and he was turning his hands to the malleable craft of pottery long before he ever began to trace the heritage of his netsuke whose story formed the basis of the book which has now made him famous around the world.

Breathturn II (2013 © Edmund De Waal)

Breathturn IV (detail) (2013 © Edmund De Waal)

First Light (2013 © Edmund De Waal)

Edmund De Waal’s art is pottery. He makes pots. But pots whose assemblage is so brilliantly pictorial, so evocative of emotions deeply held within the craftsmanship of their creation, and yet so capable of rousing within the viewer deep, reflective emotions, that as installations, these simple pots create artistic masterpieces worthy of the great art collections of his family predecessors.

De Waal’s pots are simple – usually either in black or white – but their beauty tends to be about two things. First, the naive effortlessness of their shape; the mismatched almost drunkeness of one lean after another, which tends to give each pot a handmade personality all of its own, rather than the feeling of machine manufacture. Second, their grouping – it is the way in which De Waal groups his pots together which makes them so effective as works of art: Is it just that I am coloured by the contents of his book, or by his Jewish ancestry, or did he intend to create row after row of pots so uniquely human in their uneven appearance, that they seem to evoke to Holocaust itself? For me, when I see these works, such as the quartet of huge almost bookcase structures, Breathturn, displaying shelf after shelf of randomly placed pots, I think of the row after row of destitute Jews, stripped of their livelihood and of their dignity, waiting like cattle for train crates on bleak station platforms, ready to face the certain horrors of their final destination.

Your hands full of hours (2013 © Edmund De Waal) (detail)

I heard it said (for Berg) (2013 © Edmund De Waal

How did we live here (2013 © Edmund De Waal) (detail)

The White Road III (detail) (2013 © Edmund De Waal

And then there are De Waal’s works which show groups of pots separated by a sheet of translucent perspex, so that you can see the pots behind it, but only in blurred outline. This produces the effect of a solemn group shot, perhaps a family, estranged – people taunted by the shadows or perhaps memories of loved ones; their presence there close at hand, and yet not there, untouchable, ungraspable; the frustrating feeling of irreparable separation, when a blasted great wall separates you from where, or with whom you should be.

These interpretations may well not be what De Waal intended when he made his works, but what does it matter? For in creating works that inspire these kinds of reactions in me, he has surely done the job of a great artist: he has moved his audience to an imagination all of their own.

And, as all the great artists have done before him, De Waal not only got my imagination churning when it came to his own works, but also inspired me to create a Norm re-invention of his pottery installations. And so I leave you with my own little Norm group shot; a homage to all those pots and the great variety of emotions their simple poses evoke.

BreathNorms (after De Waal) 2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and ink on paper

BreathNorm (detail)

The photos on this page are the copyright of © Edmund De Waal, and show the works he prepared for his 2013 exhibition at the Gagosian, New York. Norms are the copyright of me © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, 2013. The works of Edmund De Waal can be seen on his website, here.

Paris, Dreyfus, and Vienna – the coincidences which led me to De Waal (daily-norm.com)
De Waal’s Nazi-Dodging Netsuke Yield to Gagosian Show – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
Imagine – Edmund De Waal: Make Pots or Die; Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners – TV review (theguardian.com)

Jun 24

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Norms do… Cézanne’s Card Players

Although perhaps best known for his repetitive, almost obsessive landscapes of Le Mont Saint Victoire near his home town of Aix-en-Provence, and his groupings of apples and oranges painted as simplified geometric forms with zealously applied paint strokes, the so called father of cubism, post-impressionist master Paul Cézanne also painted another set of rather astonishing works which in my opinion easily qualify as some of his most captivating works. A gloomy tavern, a waxy dark tablecloth, a set of playing cards and the concentration of two card players, focus furrowed deep into their brows as we look upon them in the midst of a game – I am of course talking about Cézanne’s Card Player series, a series of some 5 paintings and numerous preparatory sketches, in which Cezanne took the tradition 17th century French and Dutch genre painting style of a rowdy tavern scene, and reduced it to a simple card game, full of intensity and, surprisingly for its tavern setting, sobriety.

The Courtauld’s Card Players

This now familiar composition by Cézanne, one of which hangs so happily close to me in London’s Courtauld gallery, made the headlines as recently as last year, when sold to the Qatari royal family for around $275 million, it became the most expensive piece of art work ever sold. While the price may be bonkers, and the painting’s final destination into a private collection lamentable, the art loving public can at least be reassured that four versions of the work remain on public view and as if that wasn’t enough, on top of that, the Norms have now staged their own version too!

Norm Card Players (after Cézanne) (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, acrylic on canvas)

Yes, being as, when you read this post, I should be somewhere in the Lavender-scented verdant rolling landscapes of Cézanne’s beloved Provence, and heading to his home town of Aix as my final destination, the Norms thought it only appropriate that before heading off on that trip with me, they would reimagine this renowned Cézanne scene, composed as it is with a rusty authentic depiction of a Provencal tavern complete with what are believed to be two of its local farmers playing cards. The Norm version is based upon the Courtauld’s canvas (above), and consequently the scene concentrates, as Cezanne latterly did, on the two solitary card players rather than two players with spectators such as populate some of the other works from the series. I’m not entirely sure how Norms manage to play cards so well with only one arm, but I suppose they have their ways, as Norms always do…

So without further ado, I leave you to enjoy the Norm Card Players, in this almost still-life, intense moment of concentrated card play. And some of Cezanne’s originals are included too.

Spot the difference…

The d”Orsay Card Players

The Qatari Card Players

Card Players at the Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

and at the Met, NY

And some studies…

A bientot.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Mar 12

4 Comments

The Daily Sketch: Norms gather in Valencia for Las Fallas

While I’ve been off in Marbella, the Norms have been heading in their blobby white multitudes to the Spanish city of Valencia, where the magnificent festival of Las Fallas is fast approaching. Amongst the huge papier-maché floats, and giant-sized street-paellas, the Norm men and women of the town are to be found parading the streets and squares of the historic quarter in their finery, the women in traditional dresses of exquisite floral detail, together with an elegant head-dresses and jewels aplenty, while for the men, a headscarf bandana, a waistcoat and occasionally even a sword is a throwback to the time of the great Norm-cavaliers.

Norms gather in Valencia for Las Fallas (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

Here we see the Norms perambulating in the magnificent Plaza de la Virgen against the equally splendid backdrop offered by the city’s architecturally heterogenous Cathedral. Dazzling in their elegance, with their large skirts swishing along the marble paving and jewels twinkling in the Valencian sunlight, these Norms are like a snapshot from history, a carefully preserved Valencian tradition which brings the city’s past to life in a dazzling street spectacle every March.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Valencia (x) – Photography Focus 4: Favourite shots (daily-norm.com)

Feb 14

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Valentine’s in Paris – Normy pops the ultimate question

It’s every Norm-girl’s dream. Whisked to Paris by her hunky Norm lover, taken to exhibitions, to restaurants, having his arm wrapped around her on evening strolls along the Seine, taking rides on carousels and sipping coffee outside packed bohemian cafes. All this Normette has experienced in the last few days of her Valentine’s trip to Paris, but she could never have imagined just how special this trip could get.

Normy had it all planned. The date was Valentine’s, festival of love, and the location was of course the Tour Eiffel. Wrapped up warm to face the February cold, Normy whisked Normette up the express lift to the third and highest floor of the tower, where spectacular views of Paris awaited. And then, just as the skies were beginning to dull and descend into a rosy pink, and the lights of Paris beneath began to sparkle like a carpet of diamonds, Normy genuflected forwards (Norms don’t have knees you see), took Normette’s single cold hand in his, and asked her to do him the greatest honour of all things, and agree to be his Norm-wife!

Normy and Normette: engaged on the Eiffel Tower (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

As if the cold hadn’t made her eyes water enough, Normette reacted with flowing tears of unabashed joy. Her heart beating asunder and her smooth gelatinous skin feeling suddenly goose-pimpled all over, Normette answered almost instantaneously: “Yes! Yes! Yes!!”. At that moment fireworks appeared to explode all around them (or perhaps that was just in their heads) as the significance of the moment manifested into a chorus of cheering exultation – Normy and Normette had got engaged!!

What happier story can there be for this Valentine’s day than the tale of two beloved Norms, united at last, despite turbulence and strife over Christmas, and facing the joys of a united life ahead. I leave you with a view of the moment of their engagement, and heartfelt Valentine’s wishes from all the Norms, and from me.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Valentine’s in Paris – Normy love upon Dali’s Mae West Lips (daily-norm.com)
On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my Normy gave to me… (daily-norm.com)
Valentine’s kiss for equal marriage (daily-norm.com)
Norms do… Hopper’s Nighthawks (daily-norm.com)

Feb 13

3 Comments

Valentine’s in Paris – Normy love upon Dali’s Mae West Lips

We last met with Normy and Normette on the 6th January. After a month of somewhat turbulent relations, when poor Normy did his level-best to present Normette with a series of 12 magnificent presents each representing one of the 12 days of Christmas (only to result in a catalogue of disasters from the demands of 3 pretentious french hens, a frozen-up swan lake, and an immoral dance show culminating in Normette running away to the Moulin Rouge for good), Normy and Normette finally patched things up. Having reunited and reaffirmed their love, they were invited to celebrate their union before cheering crowds of the Three Kings festival in Spain.

It’s now a little over a month later, and things have really moved on. Normy asked Normette to move in with him (this went smoothly on the whole, except for when Normette’s Louis XVI style dressing table got stuck in the narrow doorway of Normy’s bedroom, and when Normette’s little kitten, quite traumatised by the upheaval of the move, wet itself all over Normy’s prize Persian rug) and the two have been getting closer every day. So it didn’t come as a huge surprise when Normy made the ultimate in romantic gestures and whisked Normette off for a short break to Paris, the city of love, to celebrate Valentine’s.

Normy and Normette ponder the meaning of Dali's Mae West Lips (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

Here we see the loved-up twosome at one of their first Parisian stop-offs. Being of a cultured disposition, Normy and Normette couldn’t resist dropping into the Pompidou Centre to take a look at the work of renowned Norm artist, Dali-Norm. There, they were able to experience first hand his recreation of the famed Normy actress, Mae West. What after all could be more romantic than lounging in the recreated face of such a famously beautiful Normy actress? No wonder then that Normy chose this moment to give his Normette a Valentine’s rose.

There was only one slightly disconcerting feature about this room that Normy and Normette couldn’t quite understand. Just what was that red sofa they were sat on supposed to represent? Everyone knows that Dali Norm was a master of surrealism, but that strange rather voluptuous red shape the Norms had never seen before. Yes, they had seen Mae West’s luscious golden hair, and yes her two beautifully made up eyes? But those red things further down her face? According to Normy’s guide book, Dali Norm called them “lips”. Surreal indeed…

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my Normy gave to me… (daily-norm.com)
Valentine’s kiss for equal marriage (daily-norm.com)

Jan 27

4 Comments

Norms do… Dalí

In a strange distant land, almost like the manifestation of a dreamlike unreality, where sharp craggy cliffs are reflected into the mirrored surface of a completely still ocean, and lone eggs cast elongated shadows into the bleak night, three Norms are left flattened, distorted, and almost draped over a series of nonsensically placed objects. Like overly ripe camembert or a floppy wet sardine, the Norms have been reduced to near 2-dimensional formulations of their once rotund gelatinous anatomies, bending and flopping over the inhabitants of this mystifying land: a morphed bird-like manifestation, a bleak, apparently root-less tree, and a cubic structure set like a stage for a nonexistent theatre troop. No one is clear why they are there, or when they will go, but in this eery, intransigent episode, one thing is clear: this milieu has no timescale, no locus, sense of rationality or reason, other than to clarify one indubitable observation: the Persistence of Normativity.

The Persistence of Normativity (after Dali) (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen on paper)

Confused? Who isn’t, but since the Norms have been suitably inspired by Salvidor Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory, they thought a Delphic description was suitable to narrate this inconclusively surreal scene. Replacing Dalí’s famous melting clocks, these Norms fill the scene suitably, with their lucid organic forms, yet retaining all of Dalí’s characteristic inclusions, from the eggs and the craggy landscape of his home town, Cadaqués, to his ants, his flies and his strange bird-like forms. This is pure Dalí, with a little spice of Normativity.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.