T/Q: The Elagabalus Studies — Fragile Imperial Muslin

The Elagabalus Studies is a 22-part exploratory cycle investigating the fragile intersection of sovereign identity, imperial decadence, and systemic erasure. Centered on Roman Emperor Elagabalus reclining upon an ivory daybed within the Palatine Palace, the work is executed in the grotesque, vulnerable, hand-stitched doll-sculpture vernacular of East Village pioneer Greer Lankton. The emperor's body—constructed of sewn painted muslin with visible hand-wrought seams, gold-embroidered Syrian silk, layered glass beads, and rooted mohair—embodies a sovereign trans/queer figure who defied Roman gender orthodoxy. Across 22 distinct chromatic and tonal studies, this series investigates the psychological frequency of light: shifting from high-key solarized Mediterranean glare and Renaissance red-chalk cartoons to deep gothic chiaroscuro, cold Prussian indigos, and blazing Byzantine jewel-tone mosaics. Each study exists as an authentic, sovereign Edition of 1 on Base, offering patrons an intimate view into the raw studio evolution of the coming monumental cycle.