LUSUS NATURAE

LUSUS NATURAE by Emma-Jane Burton

by Emma-Jane Burton

pen and ink, 1998

Lusus Naturae, which means "freak of nature," came about in a dark moment of reflection on the writings and art of Clive Barker, Francisco Goya and the Comte de Lautréamont. We are all freaks of nature and Clive is one of the few contemporary writers of the fantastique to admit that the "other" is something that's within us all, and as such can never be alien. When I describe it as an inner self-portrait I do get some funny looks.