4/6/13

Urban Blight


I drew something for IF's "Urban" prompt and I finished it. However, every time I hear the word "urban" I always associate it with blight. So I decided to post this 2009 illustration instead.

From my 2009 Illustrated Abecedarian Series: Mr. Xerxes Xavier was a xanthocroid whose complexion turned more xanthus through the years. His Xanthippe-like wife ran off with another man. Mr. Xerxes Xavier plunged into major depression and became a xenophobe. He neglected his health and hygiene until he developed xeroderma and xeropthalmia. He sought the help of one Dr. Xenia Xeno who prescribed a regimen of anti-psychotic medications like Seroquel and Lithium, skin lotions and opthalmic solutions. Mr. Xerxes Xavier became well, sold his house and liquidated his assets then sailed on a xebec in the Xingu river where he settled in the rain forest and became a millionaire from cultivating and extracting xanthan gum which he supplied to commercial food processors throughout the world.

While I was searching for travel photos to explain my word association, I browsed through my iPhoto albums. I saw an old photo of myself when I was twenty four years old, walking with friends in China Town in New York at four in the morning. At night, all the blight disappears. The darkness covers all the filth and the traffic is bearable. When I legally immigrated to the U.S. in the early eighties, I worked as an emergency nurse in New Jersey. One day, while walking to the bank at around ten in the morning, I got mugged..




These are comic-style illustrations in one of my Moleskine notebook/journals.







2 comments:

Bella Sinclair said...

I remember Mr. Xavier. Hello again.

Aww, did he really give you a black eye? Were you able to land that kick between the legs? I hope so.

Kathie Brown said...

Ces, what a story! I am glad that you survived this attack and that you were able to express yourself in these images! And I agree with Bella!