IMAGO-X2 Lost Illusion (Fallen Idols)

The cover artist in this edition is Ian Phillips McLaren, his series, ‘The ‘Self’ & The ‘Other’ is an example of through the lens of ancient Roman portraiture, referring to the ways in which hero identities are formed are discussed in his interview. Onto the fallen aviatrix who fell from the heavens. Both lost at sea, like the feathers from Icarus wings, was all that was found; Amy’s Tiger Moth and parts of Amelia’s wings are all that was found. Feathers washed-up years later, these heroes of flight lost to the sea.

Through to the lineage of the working class hero, the great-greatgrandfather, steelworker William ‘gunboat’ Lock-Smith. The little boy lost in space, the astronaut splashes down safely from his flight of fancy, a little boy remains aloft, a lonely fantasy. And the inevitable fall from grace of those that attempted to fly too high is discussed, in the popular cinema of The Man Who Fell to Earth and The Wrestler, with its flawed heroes, also descendants of Icarus.

So the question remains, why did Icarus fly too close to the sun, ignoring his fathers advice in the original myth? (Re)lief of some profound, unresolved emotion; something the vast majority of us carry too and share with these archetypical characters of myth?