2024

This work was part of the exhibition The House Beautiful. It expands queer symbolism associated with Oscar Wilde through the exploration of the yellow pansy he wore on Fire Island in 1882. One newspaper, The Long Island Traveler (vol. XI, no. 48, dated 4 August, 1882), gives an account of this visit, “his chief adornment being a wreath of daisies worn in his hat”. The Lover’s Crown II echoes and reconfigures this wreath form.

The audio is Sweet Violets by Joseph Emmet, released in 1882 when Wilde was in New York. It was categorised as popular music at the time, therefore a song Wilde may have heard during his travels. During Novak’s research only the manuscript for this song could be located, so it was converted into audio.