“The Hearing Trumpet” by Leonora Carrington

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Leonora Carrington was not only a prolific artist, but also a talented writer who applied her Surrealist principles to both her paintings and her writings. The Hearing Trumpet, first published in 1974, was rereleased in January of this year and it is an unreal romp through a world only Carrington could have dreamed up… get it? Dreamed up… Surrealism!

Don’t you just love art historical puns?!

After a full year in lockdown due to a global pandemic, reading this book was so freeing and enjoyable!

This book is difficult to classify as it really could fit into a variety of genres. To say it is a darky comedic satire that spoofs aging, family dynamics, New Age cults, for-profit assisted living facilities, organized religion and the patriarchy is merely the tip of the ice berg. It is a bit like watching the stream of consciousness elements of a Terry Gilliam movie (The Man Who Killed Don Quixote) mashed up with the diverse cast of wacky characters found in a Wes Anderson movie (The Grand Budapest Hotel) with a few dashes of Darren Aronofsky (Mother! & The Fountain) and a splash of Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse Five) thrown in for good measure.

Carrington is also like C.S. Lewis with this fast-paced adventure story in that she combines elements from all sorts of ancient myths, stories and legends to create something entirely new and surprising. Plus, she’s a bit self-referential as some of the details and plot points clearly pertain to her own personal experiences.

Without giving too much away – and trust me, the less you know going into it the better – an eccentric 92-year-old woman is gifted a hearing trumpet and this singular event sets in motion an accidental murder, the reclamation of the Holy Grail, the melting of the polar ice caps and the apocalypse. The cast of characters is exceptional and magnificently entertaining and I couldn’t help myself by casting the film version of this story in my head while reading it.

Reading this novel is like attempting to translate the craziness of Carrington’s paintings into written language and I loved every single minute of it.

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.