First of all, there is no uninvited relative demanding retaliation in this story. Instead, a board of certified wizards meets and declares a major threat for the sleeping beauty. It is the linen barb or anything you get rid off moaning sadly once it is driven under your skin, no matter you’re a fish or a part-time receptionist.

The tale carries on with a simple plot. There is an accident obviously involving the beauty and the barb and the whole kingdom falls into a coma. “Even the partridges and pheasants being prepared for the royal table fall asleep, not mentioning the fire.” says the narrator.

Here comes the prince. He breaks in the golden chamber, finds the beauty, but fails to wake her up despite the fact he has a paramedic course. The prince is by no means discouraged and falls in love with the beauty anyway. They live together practising an open relationship and in nine months time, the beauty, still asleep, gives a birth to sleeping twins. The prince remains the only entity in the kingdom retaining consciousness, though he forgets why the hell he ended up there.

installed at the Museum of Installation, London

Standing in a hall filled entirely with a copy of my own shadow. So identical, so impossible to tell it from the original. The copy is there to replace me. For my safety. For my good.

From “The Museum of the Uknown” formerly at Oxo Tower Bargehouse Street, London.