Untitled (Cat)

One of my great heroes, Arthur C. Clarke once said "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".

The Untitled Savoy Cat is based on a commissioned sculpture for The Savoy Hotel London where I spent several months as Artist in Residence. I created this oil painting using the form as a canvas in a collaboration with the incredible abstract artist, Niina Keks. The idea is to create a stark contrast between the imaginary and real.

Background

In 1898 South African diamond magnate Woolf Joel held a dinner at The Savoy for fourteen guests, and one was cancelled at the last minute. The dinner continued, but one superstitious guest announced that death would come to the first person to leave the unlucky table of thirteen. Joel took that gamble, and a few weeks later he was shot dead in Johannesburg. To avoid a repeat performance, the Savoy offered a member of staff to join tables of thirteen thereafter. Unable to discuss private matters or feel at ease, this proved to be unpopular with guests, and thus, in a stroke of genius, Kaspar was born: a two-foot-high sculpture of a black cat was created in 1927 by British designer Basil Ionides to stave off bad luck. For almost 90 years The Savoy has been more than happy to oblige parties of thirteen with Kaspar's company, whereby he joins in with a napkin around his neck and a full place setting to 'enjoy' every course. Winston Churchill, who adored Kaspar, insisted that the cat join him at every gathering of The Other Club.

Credits

Oil Painting: Niina Keks, Photography:  Otto Pierrotto, Engineering: Graham Walker & Grant Cameron, Production: Sally Vaughan & Janine Collins