POISON PAWN
2021, RM Gallery
Tāmaki Makaurau
Due to COVID restrictions, the majority of this project took place online from 6th October – 20th November, 2021. With a 3-day physical exhibition from 18th – 20th November.
POISON PAWN was a process-based collaborative film-making project. To begin with, Daphne introduced a group of stock characters, each with their own storyboard, background and musical motif which was developed by Yanik Soland. These were accompanied by a naval-themed soliloquy, 'Pablo’s Lament', written by Rabindranath X. Bhose. The characters and soliloquy then prompted a script that was co-developed with Josie Perry.
Special thanks to;
Yanik Soland https://www.yaniksoland.ch/
Josie Perry https://josieperry.com/
Rabindranath A. Bhose https://rabhose.co.uk/
The Mondriaan Fonds
Amy Yalland https://yalland.co.nz/
Mark Schroder














Video Snippets
Script co-developed with Josie Perry
Click to read ------->
Text by Rabindranath Xavier Bhose

Rabindranath Xavier Bhose
Pablo's Lament
With every passing day,
I find myself more bitter.
And needless now to say
The customers get shitter.
Tiny charts her reckless course,
Boa whispers in her ear,
Of bad advice - an endless source,
The rest of us are left to fear
Our path through the water
Our journey at sea.
The Captain Log’s author
Less canny than me.
When Joeyina comes in
And envelops us all
With thunderclaps, lightning
And dramatic rainfall
Maybe then we can all
Get a decent night’s sleep
As the customers bawl
And the open decks weep.
When the skies open up
I can lick my bar clean
Oh so empty my cup
But at least it will gleam
There is nothing for me
On this God awful ship
To Joeyina I plea:
With your force make it flip.
Into sunnier times
Where we swim wild and free
The clock’s hourly chimes
Muffled flat by the sea.
A familiar hum
And intertwined necks
To my ears it will come ‘
Til they no longer flex
Until then I must toil
As Hobby drones on
And my blood will still boil
Until curtains are drawn.