Renowned artist Caledonia Curry, known professionally as Swoon, has unveiled an ambitious multi-disciplinary project that transforms personal childhood trauma into a mystical fairytale narrative. The centerpiece of this seven-year endeavor is "The Sibylant Sisters," a stop-motion animated story that begins with the deceptively familiar opening: "Once upon a swampy ol' dirt road, two sisters, Caelum and Terra, were growing up under the care of a spindly little witch by the name of Katarina."
The narrative quickly reveals its darker undertones as the story follows two sisters who must rely on the younger Caelum's magical powers to survive when their sorcerous mother begins to unravel. Swoon draws directly from her own experiences, explaining that "this story is drawn from my own childhood growing up at the end of a dirt road with a mother who was in the midst of a psychotic breakdown, and a lifetime spent teasing out the relationship between creativity, intuition, magic, and madness."
This ambitious project represents a significant narrative shift in Swoon's artistic practice, as she explores themes of family dynamics and intergenerational trauma through a sprawling mythical tale. The multi-disciplinary work encompasses sculpture, installation, costume design, film production, and more. Much of the content is presented through a four-part read-aloud format, allowing audiences to experience the story across multiple mediums.
A major component of the project is "The Oracle of the Sibylants," an 88-card divination deck that features symbolic imagery unique to Swoon's artistic vision. The cards blend traditional divination elements such as stars and smoking cauldrons with more unconventional objects including a glowing Skee Ball machine and a flailing garden hose. These distinctive choices reflect the artist's personal visual language and her approach to storytelling through symbolic representation.
Swoon describes her cards as speaking "the language of fairytale, because there are some truths that can only be told by witches and unicorns, ogres and toads." Despite addressing difficult themes of hardship and trauma, the artist emphasizes that the work is "suffused with joy and tenderness amidst the hardship," suggesting a hopeful perspective on healing and resilience through creative expression.
Currently, "The Oracle of the Sibylants" is seeking funding through a Kickstarter campaign, which includes a promotional video offering glimpses of both live-action and animated films that are part of the broader project. The campaign allows supporters to preview some of the visual elements and storytelling techniques that Swoon has developed over the seven-year creative process.
Looking ahead, Swoon envisions this project expanding beyond its current format into a comprehensive artistic experience. Her plans include developing it into a traveling exhibition, producing full-length films, publishing a novella, and creating a theatrical production. This multi-format approach reflects the artist's commitment to exploring how different mediums can enhance and deepen the narrative's impact. Interested audiences can follow the project's development and updates through Swoon's Instagram account, where she continues to share behind-the-scenes content and progress updates on this deeply personal yet universally resonant artistic endeavor.
