Page 84 - Antennae Issue #52

Paul Harfleet Beaten Jayhawk Motel 1004 N 3rd St Lawrence Kansas 2018 © Paul Harfleet It wasn’t long before I I I I decided that planting a a a a a a a a a a live flower flower at at at the the the site where I I I I ex- perienced the the the the the abuse The nature of of the the the the the flower flower was was essential and I I I I I I remember immediately thinking of of the the the the the pansy I I I resisted this choice initially as as as I I I wanted the the the the the intervention to to have have more visual impact A friend at at at the the the the the time reassured me me me me that the the the the the pansy was the the the the the only choice I I I settled on on on it it and and I I I have have come to to love its multi- ple meaning as as as as both the the the the name of of the the the the plant and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a term of of homophobic abuse In French it it translates to ‘thought’ or ‘think’ and and and was used in in in in France as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a ‘wish you were here’ emblem on postcards This emphasised its meaning and and and highlighted how language evolves and and shifts from place place to place place in in an an an an an arbitrary way JO: This idea of the the the uncanny has me me thinking about the the the Royal Horticultural So- ciety gold medal you you and your brother Tom Harfleet won for for Best Conceptual Garden Garden for for The Pansy Project Garden Garden at the the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 84 antennae