A Modern Marriage

A Modern Marriage Fernando Feijoo

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A Modern Marriage

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Illustration _ Fernando Feijoo Text _ Pat Francis Design _ Rafa Armero Published by

Janus Press

Š Fernando Feijoo - 2013 www.fernandofeijoo.com

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The Progress

by Pat Francis

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A Modern Marriage is the final part of a trilogy of works by Fernando Feijoo. Inspired by William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress, A Harlot’s Progress and Marriage a la Mode, the eternal stories of money, corruption, dissolution, crime and redemption are firmly rooted in the twenty first century.

The text aims to give a perspective on London life, mores and values, by using rhythms from modern music, allusion, slang and publishing references. The words create a broad narrative, influenced by the original story but departing from this in order to locate Crack, Charlie and Tara in contemporary Britain. The words are part of the overall picture and form the columns and text shapes that complement the image

Hogarth, in his titles, generalised his characters to types - a Rake, a Harlot etc., but for this modern version not only were actual names given, but very specific details were created in the texts, hence the use of word play: Crack and Charlie make links to drugs and Spike the dog implies multiple meanings of violence. This is in the spirit of Hogarth who had Earl Squanderfield for his Marriage a la Mode - a clear link to the father of Crack, Charlie and Tara. He lives in a ‘faux’ mansion placed incongruously in the countryside.

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Threaded through the work are instances of hope, humour and horror directly rooted in the vision of the artist as well as the moralities and codes of society.

Little themes, running gags and asides underpin Feijoo’s version with the loyal dog, the fighting dogs, the moon (sometimes sinister, sometimes benign), and particularly the rats, which run through sewers and invade all areas of human life. Cityscapes background all scenes, some with specific geographic references (London), others universal in their topicality to modern urban life.

The first in the series of Feijoo’s Progresses was Crack’s Progress which focusses on the dissolution of a young man lured into crime, tried and committed to prison and then Bedlam. Charlie is Crack’s sister and in the second part of the trilogy, Charlie’s Progress, her tale is of equal horror and exploitation; pimped and abused she finally rounds on her persecutors, and becomes worse than them. But she too does not fall into Hell, and in the final frame is saved by her brother, who has emerged from his own underworld.

These are the elder brother and sister of Tara who is one of the key figures in the third part of the trilogy, A Modern Marriage.

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A Modern Marriage had a longer evolution and proved more complex to interpret for a contemporary audience - even the title creating difficulties in how it would relate to ‘progress’ and to modern marriage patterns.

Changes also occurred in the telling and drawing together of the Progresses with the interweaving of print and publishing through visual and textual references.

In scene one the viewer is introduced to Tara, a spoilt brat, who poses with her horse, as her father’s business empire is threatened and a luxury car is towed away. In contrast, scene two is set in the back end of the city where Den and his son Darren exist. But while Den thrives through a range of nefarious activities, he needs money laundering contacts and friends in the higher rungs of society.

Darren is a waste of space. The two fathers come up with a deal and marry the two youngsters off.

Thus ‘real rich’ meets ‘nouveau riche’: the eternal devil’s knot. Set in the environment of desirable waterside apartments (despite the rank mud and the view of wrecks) Tara and Darren conceive a child, Wayne, but also fall back into their dissolute ways.

In scene four young Wayne is neglected and sees sights of crime and horror, exemplified by the illegal dog fight. Darren gets into horrendous debt and from the bottom of the pit to which he has sunk sells his wife and son into pornography. But even this deal goes bad and he is murdered.

Shocked into consciousness and blaming herself Tara decides to end her own life and that of her wayward son. But their fall is caught by Tara’s older brother and sister, Crack and Charlie. There are some signs that there may be redemption for all at last.

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Key patterns emerge when the series is considered as a whole, but each part is also complete in itself. A Modern Marriage finishes the trilogy with its full stop. Some scenes have layered narratives, where the actions are reflected in the fragments of the composition within the frame, in the use of mirrors, pictures and graphic novel storyboard conventions.

Bringing the three siblings together and connecting their lives to writing, teaching, art and parenthood, link the artists and the stories, and also frame the series, which is finally being blocked and boxed.

The scale of this work is necessarily large and dominant.

This is no ordinary tale that can be reduced in the telling. The answers to the crises presented in the stories are not small. The questions Hogarth asked were as wide and large as human experience. Answers are not black and white. In the years between Hogarth and Feijoo, answers have not been found nor have the problems been fixed.

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Marriage Ă la Mode Or

By Way of Marriage Or The Model of a Marriage Or The Arranged Marriage

A Modern Marriage Fernando Feijoo

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Youngest sister of Crack and Charlie Tara was, by far Daddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite She had the brains And got a First Class Honours

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But never needing to work Spoilt her; Became demanding Went astray and was Spoiled And Soiled

When Daddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business Wavered He had to find a way To keep his empire, His estate, Together.

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At the back end of town Down in the council estates Den needed a way in.

Money to be cleaned, To be moved through fast.

He needed a front No questions asked.

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Denâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Darren Was no chip off the block Wasting, squandering, gambling Needed steadying.

Owed his Dad a ton Had to do what he was told.

Daddy and Den drew up a contract Tara and Darren to unite the pact.

Bought off with a flat on the river Could act out their dreams of a high life

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At first, Together.

In drunken hazes Conceived a child.

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But Tara tired of toddlers Preened herself down at the gym Gyrating in the jacuzzi With the bodybuilders.

Darren driven to drink Betting on anything that moved Deserted his duties as a Dad.

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Young Wayne became wayward Growing up Seeing sights of sin Seeing sites with the signs to hell

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At a party Punch and Judy Punched and fought before a jury

Does the child make the man?

Is a child made In the image of what he sees?

Wayne was weaned to the ways of the world By the wealthy waterside.

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Was Diverted Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see

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Darrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deals went awry Debts were mounting Disaster deepening

He gambled too far Sold Tara for a porn film Wayne to a porn ring.

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A stumble?

A fumbled punch?

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Darren dived Waters churning No-one cheering But no-one turning To help

Darren died His body embalmed in mud.

Shadows disappeared.

The Water Rats never found The River Rats.

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Tara distraught Blamed herself Never knew what might have been

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Drowned herself in drink Was going to walk the line Into oblivion Taking Wayne with her

But as she fell Crack and Charlie Were there There for each other in the past Now Again.

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The threads of this tale Are now tied together Tied up Tied down Tight Three children Scattered Battered Now entwined again Plaited eternally Protecting a new generation

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Growing older Seeing through the thickening lens Writing the rage Anchoring the anger Drawing the demons Defying the dreams Teaching the theories But practising the living

This story now is ended Their sentence stopped.

Blocked in this book Their Progress is Printed Proofed And Published.

Epilogue

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Scars may fade Wounds may heal Memories may merge And ghosts are laid To rest But now and then The cracks appear The veneer is peeled away Bad dreams deafen And deaden the day

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Never return But Never regain The innocence Never again Hear silence

Threaded through The trauma Of terror The young life Had seen Too much

Always the tinnitus Of temptations

The grown ups never ceased The task To keep away the Nightmares

Are we sentenced Before we are born?

Or do we Write our own Sentence, Our own lines, And thus Create Our own

Full stop ....

Limited Edition Book _ Published by Janus Press _ 2013

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www.fernandofeijoo.com

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Marriage Ă la Mode Or

By Way of Marriage Or The Model of a Marriage Or The Arranged Marriage

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A Modern Marriage Fernando Feijoo