“Time is falling like autumn leaves in decay. Life hangs in the balance of our next breath, and paradise speaks from within: ‘Patience is a kiss.’”
The Fortune is a cinematic poetry immersive exhibition taking place at M2 in partnership with Nolcha Shows and Scope Art Fair with Superchief Gallery, during Miami Art Week. Exploring humanity’s fraught relationship with mother nature through the lens of whaling—a brutal tradition that serves as a metaphor for mankind’s attempts to dominate the natural world. Through four acts, the work examines the legacy of exploitation, the yearning for connection, and the spiritual resonance found in nature’s mysteries. From the harpooner’s relentless pursuit of power to the whaler’s longing for home, from the haunting song of the whales to the quiet wisdom of patience, The Fortune invites viewers to confront the consequences of their actions and rediscover their place within a greater, harmonious design. As an immersive exhibition during Miami Art Week and at Scope Art Fair, this piece fuses poetic narration, stunning animation, and timeless themes, creating a visceral reflection on how humanity’s relationship to nature mirrors its own inner struggles.
Each act unfurls a distinct chapter in this profound narrative, weaving together themes of tradition, longing, spiritual connection, and the timeless rhythm of love and destiny. The final act, Patience Is a Kiss, completes this meditative journey, creating a poetic symphony that bridges the past, present, and future.
Based on the Award Winning Novella by Laurence Fuller and AI models trained on the brushstrokes of Stephanie Fuller.
Act I: The Harpoon
“The sea was his kingdom, the knife his crown,
Where whales were felled, their greatness drowned.”
The first act opens with a portrait of Uncle Svenson, a man carved from the harshness of the North, bound to the sea and its brutal traditions. Through his eyes, we see the clash between legacy and decay, power and the cost it exacts. The animation reflects the rusted harbors and crimson tides of The Fortune, where the cry of the seals mingles with the creak of old machinery. Svenson’s shadow looms as both a ruler and a prisoner of the ocean, a man whose ambitions are drowned by the very waters that sustain him.
In this act, we are introduced to the eternal dance between survival and conscience, as Svenson’s legacy becomes a cautionary tale of conquest and consequence. His life is a harpoon cast into the depths, pulling back the weight of centuries, yet echoing the ocean’s refusal to forget.
Act II: Echo
“Fortune is the home we find ourselves.
Home is a paradise we fly decades away from,
Before landing on its brim once again.”
The second act shifts to the perspective of a whaler out at sea, writing to his love and longing for the home he left behind. Through lyrical narration, we feel the tension between duty and desire, courage and vulnerability. The animation captures the restless motion of the waves, the soldier’s resolve, and the distant shores that haunt his dreams.
This act bridges the internal and external struggles of a man caught in the tides of war and love. His father’s wisdom lingers in his heart: “You will learn pain, and through it, you will see that we are all one.” The words guide him as he confronts not only the tyranny of empires but the quiet battles within himself. The sea becomes both battlefield and sanctuary, its echoes carrying the voices of the past and the hopes of tomorrow.
Act III: The Whale’s Song
“Something ancient pulls us where we are,
Floating on machines of our making.
What the generations said was for the taking
Becomes the hum of a hymn in the waves.”
In the third act, the whaler dives into the depths and discovers a spiritual connection to the whales. Their song resonates through his soul, a hymn that bridges the divide between man and nature. The animation captures the glistening currents, the majestic rhythm of the whales, and the fragile balance of life in the ocean.
As the song unfolds, it becomes a conversation between the whaler and the forces of the universe—an acknowledgment of the ancient wisdom embedded in the sea. The animation contrasts the mechanical grind of the ship with the organic harmony of the whales, showing humanity’s struggle to align with the natural world. This act is a moment of awakening, as the protagonist begins to see himself as part of a larger, eternal design.
Act IV: Patience Is a Kiss
“I sailed into the night, through the luminous mist,
All the world was quiet, and dreaming in bliss.
Before the day of the dead and the week of reveling trysts,
I sailed to the edge of the sea.”
The final act, Patience Is a Kiss, closes the triptych with a reflection on transformation, love, and destiny. The protagonist stands at the edge of change, penning a novel by the glow of the stars. The scrolls unfurl like waves, each word a meditation on the urgency of connection and the eternal rhythm of patience.
The sand beneath his feet is like unformed pearls, the stars above like scattered stories yet to be told. The animation glows with a luminous mist, a metaphor for the unknowable future. Paradise whispers its truth: “Patience is a kiss,” a reminder that love and destiny are not found in haste, but in surrender to the flow of life.
An Immersive Experience
Presented as a large-scale immersive installation, The Fortune transforms poetic cinema into a visceral and spiritual experience. Hundred-foot screens envelop viewers in textures of light and shadow, each frame a living poem. The narration guides the audience through the themes of the triptych, creating a dialogue between the self and the infinite.
A Timeless Vision
The Fortune is a meditation on humanity’s connection to tradition, nature, and the divine. It invites viewers to step into the luminous mist of their own stories, to confront the tides of their own memories, and to find solace in the eternal rhythm of life.
At Miami Art Week and Scope Art Fair and M2 in partnership with Nolcha Shows, The Fortune stands as a testament to the transformative power of art, merging ancient themes with contemporary vision. It reminds us that the stories we tell—of love, loss, and longing—are not bound by time but carried forward by the whispers of the sea and the eternal glow of the stars.
