The bantam lord at last doth strike!

[imomus]

One has a tendency to think of the man—nay, the phenomenon!—the world knows as Lord Whimsy as an end in himself, a work of performance art, an "affected provincial" about whom articles are written, films made and books published; a dandy, an avid horticulturalist and eminent apian. But Whimsy contains multitudes; he's also a partner in graphic design company Plankton Art, where he goes by the Clark-Kentish name of Allen Crawford.



Whimsy's design work is perfectly wonderful; as optimistic, baroque and colourful as his dandy persona. That's why, when he announced back in February that he was working on a Flash animation for my song "Bantam Boys" (from the award-winning "Otto Spooky" album, one of the Chicago Reader's Top 10 albums of 2005, apparently!), my heart fluttered like the song's heavily-filtered madrigal guitar chords. It's been fluttering for ten months now, and might have killed me had Whimsy not, yesterday, delivered his masterpiece. Yes, the animation of "Bantam Boys" has now arrived! It turns out to be the most spectacular safari since Rex Harrison talked to the animals in "Dr Dolittle" or Cousteau flipped off the deck of the Calypso kitted out in flippers and snorkel. Click the picture above to embark on an extraordinary journey! (Flash media, 1.2 MB.)

Lord Whimsy's colourful and beautifully-curved extravaganza (it reminds me of a Matthew Barney film) joins the Flash pieces made earlier in the year by The Lady Pat (Your Fat Friend) and Blayne Greiner (The Artist Overwhelmed), both still available for your viewing enjoyment.

Comments

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Ranting against me for failing to make something I had never intended to make seems strange. I understand that the kids like their bells and whistles, and that they seem to think that the literal, "kitchen sink" aesthetic is somehow more "advanced" than stylized work that shows restraint when it comes to the boyish urge to show off one's technical proficiency--but how a rabbit with a screwdriver in its neck is somehow "challenging" escapes me. Must be a hormonal flux/Whimsy-hater thing.

[stanleylieber.livejournal.com]

Surely the screwdrive makes it challenging for the rabbit to breathe!

Whimsy, wonderful work. If I had ever stopped listening to Otto Spooky it would have pulled me back in.

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Thank you, my young padawan ;)