We Like Art. Come Do Art.

By Sydney Johnson

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I’ve always been interested in world-building, so for my project, I’ve mapped out and explored the stories of four key places in a world I will use to explore nuanced identity.

The entrance to the world’s first underwater jazz club is a clear tube elevator on the shore of the world’s smallest and bluest sea. Mountains the size of giants wrap around the shore, lush and lived with. A small village lives in these mountains, the villagers have gardens and fish markets and quilt shops, but no one comes to this region of the world to see their work. They come for the jazz club. 

The elevator stands on a platform right on top of the water. Next to it is a sign that reads: We Like Art. Come Do Art. The club is a straight shot down: a sea ride. Journalists often speak of the fish and coral they see in the articles they write, but they write more of music. 

It’s horrible.

After getting dropped off by the elevator, visitors step into a blue-toned club with surrounding views of the underwater. Journalists write, fish gather around the walls, mostly glass, and stay. But I cannot imagine why, the music is a collection of noises that should never go together. And as they move around the club, they try to close their ears and try to at least appreciate the design of the space. On the ceiling hangs a school of lanterns. Two conversation pits sink into the diagonal corners of the club. The bar has no alcohol; it is instead stocked with coconut and other fruit drinks. The stage is level with the floor and has very elaborate sound and light systems. Performers bring their own instruments. 

The articles only ever describe the space in this matter of fact way and the poor quality of the music. 

It feels like the performers have been playing their instrument for a day, the music is so bad. 

I wanted to get on stage and tune the guitar for the band I saw play last night.

The lead singer the night I went was tone-deaf and had no rhythm. Where do they find these people?

All the critics must’ve forgotten about the sign at the entrance to the club. 

Process

Fantasy worlds that explore identity and systems in the real world have always been intriguing to me. I started developing a world in which I could explore these concepts about a year ago, and I wanted my multi-media project to be a starting point for a much larger project. I worked really hard on developing topical tones for each piece of this series and had a lot of fun playing around with the map creation website Inkarnate to put visuals to my imagination.