King of the Jungle

To add to the likes of Lander Hawes' CAPTIVITY, Sarah Dobbs' KILLING DANIEL, Ashley Stokes' THE SYLLABUS OF ERRORS and Nick Sweeney's LAIKONIK EXPRESS we are exhilarated by our discovery of KS Silkwood and KING OF THE JUNGLE. Silkwood has written a trilogy of novels which painfully and hilariously skewers the heart of the British art scene of the last twenty years. To do so in a style whose written language satirises much of that world's visual language is an achievement worth noting. To then go beyond that and add wisdom, compassion and humour is actually quite awe-inspiring. The KING OF THE JUNGLE is a 'not-so-young-anymore' man living in voluntary exile from the artistic maelstrom he once dominated working as an unknown London park-keeper. Via the KING'S once so vital and much-admired vision we learn of the rivalries and reveries of the febrile London art college scene and the bunfi ght that ensues upon graduation. As the 'KING' regails us he reluctantly reveals his own story and the real reason he has chosen anonymity, low pay and long hours. With irony worthy of the best of modern art this manages to be mad, moving, entertaining and massively poignant. The other two novels of the trilogy complete this major saga of modern society, art and life from different viewpoints and times.