Feeding The Mongoose
Limited Edition of 7 + 1 AP
Archival Pigment Print.
Signed by the artist on the back.
Date: 2024
This image was inspired by a story told by Alan Watts in his autobiography, In My Own Way (pp. 235-237), New World Library.
“A traveler told the story of meeting a weird gentleman on a train. The gentleman took a bag down from the overhead rack, opened it, extracted from his pocket a cabbage on the end of a string, and dangled it into the bag. Consumed with curiosity, the traveler asked the gentleman what he was doing. The gentleman replied that he was feeding his mongoose. “Well, why do you carry a mongoose?” asked the traveler. “Alas,” said the gentleman, “I am an alcoholic and suffer from the DTs (delirium tremens), so I need this mongoose to keep away the snakes.” “But surely you realize that those snakes are only imaginary?” replied the traveler. “Yes, indeed,” he answered, “but so is the mongoose.”
This story is a vivid illustration of the power of the mind and the ways in which we cope with our fears and anxieties, even if it means employing imaginary solutions that seem illogical to others. It hints at the subjective nature of reality. The battered old leather bag symbolizes the baggage we carry with us through life, while the cabbage on a string represents the unusual tools we use to ward off our fears. The mongoose, a symbol of both defense and delusion, becomes a reminder that sometimes our solutions are as fantastical as the problems they aim to solve. Yet, amidst the absurdity, there’s a profound truth: our struggles are very real to us, and sometimes, individuals may cling to unconventional beliefs or behaviors as a means of finding comfort or protection, even if those beliefs are based on illusions.