The
King and Queen
The
King and Queen were originally created by the Art Police
for a Grateful Dead Mardi Gras parade at the Oakland Coliseum.
The
King and Queen have appeared at various events from
Peter Gabriel's WOMAD festival in Golden Gate Park
to New Orleans by the Bay Festival at Shoreline Amphitheater.
The King is fashioned
after the mythological Vineman who
appears in myths throughout various cultures in the world.
It is thought that he eminates from the earth and looks
after the soil and the plants. He can be found in Celtic lore
as well as Central and South American folktales.
This photo shows the
King as it floated in front of the Grateful Dead
as it made its way through the crowd. Sitting on the right knee
dressed as an angel is Chelsea,
a brave four year old girl whose father and mother worked
at the Psychedelic Shop in San Francisco.
The Queen is
Marie Laveaux who was the most respected
and feared person in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th Century
Born a slave on a Caribbean island, she learned the practice of voodoo
which she used to rule New Orleans for years.
People still go to her grave outside of the French Quarter
and leave offerings or mark an X on her grave stone
to ward off the evil spirits.
This photo
shows the Queen as it traversed in front of the
stage with the Grateful Dead playing. The angel on the left knee
is the inimitable Mame Rheingold.
Phil Lesh is standing on the stage at the right playing bass.
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