If Julian Cope, the former frontman of the 80s new wave band The Teardrop Explodes, can be counted as a "modern antiquarian", then Michael Conduit can be counted as one that is postmodern. That is, if we consider the Half Day Moon Press release of his new graphic novella, The Lost Continent of the Turks: A Most Curious but True Tale (HDMP No. 12). Julian Cope encouraged young Brits to hop into their cars and explore the in situ prehistoric monuments in their own backyard (i.e. the UK). Michael Conduit, however, takes us across several continents by means of antiquarian writings, esoterica, and his playful and quirky graphic spreads. With a palatable mixture of wonder and awe and an ethnographer's temporary suspension of judgement, Conduit follows the magical journeys of Colonel James Churchwood and the Consul Tahsin Hasan (a.k.a. "Mayatepek") in search of the lost and ancient civilization of Mu.
A long-time admirer of Conduit's aesthetics, I have been checking in now and then on the progress of this project since its inception well over a year ago. Hearing of Mayatepek's search for the rumoured roots of his then young nation in the remote mists of antiquity certainly piqued my interest. As it sounded like some lost Indiana Jones screenplay or an enigmatic footnote in the antiquarian papers of Sir William Mitchell Ramsay, how could it not? Well in any case, finally seeing the charm of this work in its complete and fully realized form was definitely worth the wait.
A British national currently based in Rabat, Michael has had photography and art exhibitions on several continents. Keep abreast with his visual art on Instagram: @empire_of_mu
----Joseph
