A tortoise, but make it decadent

I wanted to share a bit about the imagery in this new print, which is available as the Vision Backer reward, and how it came about. In Huysmans’s novel Against Nature, the tortoise becomes a symbol of decadence and a queer aesthetics — embodying the slow, deliberate pace of a life removed from societal norms.

It’s one of those literary images that’s always stuck with me, and I’ve long wanted to try my own version, to see what might emerge. The idea of a tortoise with a shell adorned in intricate patterns and encrusted in jewels speaks to the beauty found in excess and artifice, challenging traditional notions of nature and embracing a distinctly hedonistic sensibility.

Through this idea, Huysmans offers a celebration of the unconventional: a life devoted to sensory experience and a rejection of the mundane. And beneath that flamboyant surface, there’s a deeper resonance as Against Nature was also the title of a pivotal queer exhibition at LACE in the 1980s, curated by Dennis Cooper and Richard Hawkins during the height of the AIDS crisis.

Each print is produced in a high-quality, archival format to preserve the intricate detail and rich symbolism of the design. Every piece will be individually numbered and hand signed, with prints distributed in the order of donation — the first to pledge will receive print 1 of 25, and so on. This is a limited edition run, exclusive to the Vision Backer tier. Once they’re gone, they won’t return. By claiming this reward, you’re not just supporting the project; you’re also taking home a piece of queer history and a symbol of resilience, beauty, and defiant creativity.

— Jared Pappas-Kelley