Consort's Last Rites

Will Imlay (He/Him) is a local illustrator with a background in performance art, costume, and game development. He is interested in the way real identities, both internal and external, intersect with the worlds we construct for ourselves. 

Artist Statement

This piece, my submission for the Teichert Gallery Pride show, is a case for sympathetic fantasy. In the Consort's Last Rites, we see a couple, a sage and consort, occupying a distinct ceremonial role in a world of fantasy and sorcery. The setting is light and almost comical, but we meet this couple, and the priests assisting in the last rites, in a moment of mourning, watched by the citizenry through their windows. I believe queer fantasy, where we are lucky enough to have it, should not occupy an exclusively escapist role, but also be willing to actively engage with the breadth of our experiences. These two elements are not mutually exclusive, but their juxtaposition will at times render work difficult to approach. Which I hope this piece will be able to reflect.