Hotsell Who would ever want to be king figural soft sculpture textile art piece

“It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Aw, who would ever want to be king?”

(Viva La Vida , Chris Martin for Coldplay)

This textile figure is a testament to the troubles that come along with the quest for power here in the land of the living. The body parts were free form stitched by machine, meaning there was no pattern used or lines pre-drawn on the cotton blend fabric that was utilized. The fabric was coffee stained after being stuffed with polyfil. Red wine was used for the eyes and the words: “who would ever want to be king?”
The arms, legs, and head were loosely attached with red threads to echo the precarious nature of the position of king. A dark brown silk velvet and foam crown sits atop the head and is removable. There is a fabric covered metal ring on the upper back (and extra fabric and reinforcement stitching) for easy wall mounting. This piece is about 36” long and, due to the materials, lightweight.
His posture and lumpiness juxtapose to his crown and position give the viewer a lot to think about in terms of the powerful among people being brought low or simply succumbing to hotsell the march of time.