The talks at the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, will continue through November 22nd, yet, for the time being, participants are increasingly frustrated by the limited progress achieved. Solutions for steering the world onto a sustainable path to prevent climate catastrophe, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate climate migration remain indeed elusive.
Amid these challenges, a report released two days ago by the Climate Action Tracker project underscored a stark reality: global heating is continuing to rise. Although world leaders have pledged to limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C (2.7°F), current policies are setting the world on a course toward a 2.7°C increase.
To reflect on climate change and the fate of our planet through an artistic and allegorical lens, revisiting the ecofeminist play "Opus Siniestrus: The Story of the Last Egg" (1970) by Leonora Carrington offers profound insights.
Set in a dystopian future where patriarchal forces have ravaged the natural world, this play envisions a post-apocalyptic landscape in which only one woman survives - a former brothel madam. This old woman, embodying the enduring feminine archetype, becomes the bearer of humanity's last hope - an egg - holding the fate of the planet in her hands.
Carrington's depiction of the woman is in some ways anticipated by her 1947 painting "The Giantess (The Guardian of the Egg)," which evokes protection and creation, while the symbolism of the egg first emerged for Carrington during her time in a Spanish asylum in the early 1940s.
Since then the egg turned into a recurring trope throughout Carrington's works, symbolizing life, fertility, and the feminine. In this play, it embodies potential and creation, representing wonder and the balance between destruction and the promise of new beginnings, rebirth and the delicate balance of existence. The egg's symbolism is intertwined with a profound commentary on society, in a world ravaged by patriarchal systems of violence, war, the corrosive power of money, capitalism and ecological destruction.
The woman must battle against patriarchal forces to protect the egg as various characters seek to interact with it, their desires and fears exposing themes of greed, control, and the repercussions of oppressive power structures.
The characters in "The Story of the Last Egg" often wear masks, symbolizing layers of identity, concealment, and the mutable nature of reality. The use of masks in Carrington's play adds another layer of meaning, inviting readers to question the true nature of the characters and the forces at play, suggesting that outward appearances may conceal deeper truths. In the play, masks are indeed both literal and metaphorical, with characters disguising their true intentions and transforming their appearances, embodying deception and ambiguity. The motif of the mask also underscores themes of power and ritual, reflecting Carrington's fascination with esoteric practices and her deep connection to symbolic and mythological elements.
Some of the masks - designed by Carrington and crafted by Jane Stein and Vita Giorgi - were made from materials such as mesh, felt, cane, yarns, and leather. Although funding for the production of the play was never fully raised, Carrington and her team developed some of the costumes and now three masks (Little Mermaid mask, Green Mask with Eyelashes & Double-Sided Mask) are part of the "Modern Day Auction" that will be held on 19th November at Sotheby's in New York.
For fashion designers, these pieces may be intriguing from the point of view of materials and inspirations as well, since they showcase Carrington's enduring fascination with themes of fertility, mysticism, ecology, female empowerment, and magical realism. Revisiting "The Story of the Last Egg" may offer us instead new perspectives on modern climate change issues, inviting a deeper contemplation of resilience and the role of women in restoring harmony between humanity and the natural world.
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