The opium and alcohol fueled fever dream of a pen case painter is brief yet packed full of symbolism and horrifying moments. I found it a little tough to follow and very difficult to make sense of. The narrator is clearly disturbed and I’m not even sure what his motivations are in writing down his story. It’s clear that a lot of the symbolism went right over my head, but because of the hazy dream-like nature of the narration I’m not sure how much the appropriate cultural knowledge would have clarified the story. It’s symbolic philosophy but I’m not sure what questions we’re trying to answer. It’s not for anyone that can’t handle ambiguity and gore. For those that enjoy an experimental narrative with a horror bend, this is worth the short investment of time.