“The misery and greatness of this world: it offers no truths, but only objects for love. Absurdity is king, but love saves us from it.”

“Women have a much better time than men in this world; there are far more things forbidden to them.”

paintings · 17th- and 18th-century dutch floral arrangements feature throughout the lobster. from top left to bottom right: a vase of flowers, margareta haverman (1716) · chinese vase with flowers, shells and insects, balthasar van der ast (1628) · still life with flowers and fruit, jan van huysum (1715) · still life with fruit, fish, and a nest, abraham mignon (1675) · still life with flowers in a glass vase, jan davidsz de heem (c. 1660) · a still life of flowers in a wan li vase, ambrosius bosschaert the elder (1614) · a vase with flowers, jacob vosmaer (c. 1613) · vase of flowers, jan van huysum (1722) · still life with flowers in a glass vase, rachel ruysch (c. 1690-1720) · still life with flowers in a decorative vase, maria van oosterwijck (1670-1675) · a bouquet of flowers in a crystal vase, nicolaes van veerendael (1662) · roses, convolvulus, poppies, and other flowers in an urn on a stone ledge, rachel ruysch (c. 1680s).

words i · albert camus musing from his notebooks 1935-1942 on absurdity and the part love plays in the game of life.

film · yorgos lanthimos' the lobster is a dark musing on the societal constructs of love and what is permissible in relationships.

music · theme for 1954 film jeux interdits (forbidden games) recorded by narciso yepes features briefly in our film.

photographs · yijun pixy liao's experimental relationship series reverses stereotypical gender roles and explores affection through absurdity.

words ii · absurdism by oscar wilde.