Drusilla Does Dubai
Meet Drusilla. She was found in Dragonmart by Madeleine and after she walked out with her, Drusilla has been seen around town, in places like the supermarket, by the swimming pool, in a taxi, at parties and even in random beds.
Drusilla is an interesting photographic experiment and you can follow her adventures on Instagram.
Patient, attentive, calm, never interrupts, a brilliant listener (but with no ears). She’s not bothered about who-said-what. She never lets the language barrier make anyone feel awkward. (I think Cantonese is her native tongue). She doesn’t take Selfies, Instagram her breakfast, pull ‘Ghetto Fingers’ in photos, send me Fruitloop text messages, or tell me off about my crisps habit.
Her hazel eyes are permanently aloof; all-knowing albeit bored, but she’s not in any way ashamed of her alopecia or diminutive height. And wherever she is, she maintains perfect poise and repose. Sure, she still smells of the plastic factory she grew up in, and when she goes for a swim she brings half the pool home, and her eyelashes need re-gluing, but she’s loyal.
I don’t know what she means. Whether she’s a statement about the overly hygienic aesthetic of Dubai nightlife, a desperate plea for attention, the bald, plastic embodiment of marketing ‘eccentricity’ to others, or a fun toy I like taking pictures of, but she’s a muse of sorts. It’s fun to see people’s eyes widen when she comes out of a bag at a barbeque. Or the people who try to determine the point, and their friends’ willingness and outright intent to suck her face, have a photo with her and parade her around the dancefloor.
Yes, it’s silly, makes no sense, has no purpose. Particularly in Dubai. But it’s Armless fun. Meet Drusilla. She does Dubai.
