Don't / Edit your own Soul

2023

Light Projection Artwork (Artist’s Impression) for St George’s Hall, Liverpool, UK

Artist impression - Light projection artwork onto a building facade. (c) Nicola Anthony 2023

Don't / Edit your own Soul

Light Projection Artwork (Artist’s Impression)

This light projection artwork is shown here on St George’s Hall in Liverpool, its luminous words borrowed from a thought-provoking quote:

"Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly."

While often attributed to Franz Kafka, these profound words may actually have been penned about him in the foreword of a 1995 collection of his short stories, published by Schocken Books and written by Anne Rice.

This artwork serves as a reflective exploration into the intricate mechanisms of personal, societal, and regional authorship. In our present era, marked by fervent discussions on the need to recontextualize and honestly confront Britain’s colonial history, this piece invites viewers to consider the nuanced implications of such profound change. By juxtaposing two opposing statements that - in the abstract - may seem equally wise, it encourages a deep examination of our roles as authors of our own identity narratives.

Liverpool, located in northwest England, is a city with a rich history of transformation. Its identity has been molded by historical, cultural, economic, and social forces, including its significance as a pivotal port city and its involvement in the British slave trade. In the latter half of the 20th century, Liverpool confronted economic decline and urban decay. However, through determined urban regeneration initiatives, such as the revitalization of the Albert Dock area and its designation as the European Capital of Culture in 2008, the city has reinvented itself. Today, the Albert Dock proudly hosts the Tate Gallery, and Liverpool anticipates the unveiling of Nicola Anthony's light projection in 2023 (final location to be revealed in November).