Teppei Ando

TEPPEI ANDO
IV The Emperor
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

The Emperor card is one that deals with self-asserted power. It is aggressive authority, creating it's own environmental control with an innate instinct and skill to do so. Others are drawn to follow the emperor, and respect his leadership. It is a card of great traits, like power, command and experience but the emperor is also subject to boredom, restlessness and impatience.
I chose McMurphy from the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as I reread Ken Kesey's masterpiece it's meanings breathed within the lines and pages. Randle McMurphy was the emperor of the asylum. He made that clear in his first minutes entering the hospital. He greeted all the patients (regardless of whether they be acute or chronic) and let himself be known. He told them he likes to know who he'll be playing (cards) with. He quickly challenged whoever was the "bull goose loony" of the place, and explained that he's accustomed to being top man. Since Harding seemed to be loosely the leader of the group, McMurphy let him know clearly there's only room for one bull goose loony, and that he's so crazy, he not only voted for Eisenhower last election but that he's planning to vote for him again next election! I think initially it was more about dominance for McMurphy, but ultimately he found himself becoming a true leader. He inspired those around him to be who they really were, and to care about living. He got not only respect but also great love from those around him, and they believed he believed in them. He gained true power, and for the first time was a threat over the enemy, Nurse Ratched. In the end McMurphy made the biggest sacrifice in the emperor's fight and lost his mind. The chief understood this and suffocated him so his legend would survive longer than his body. In this illustration, we have McMurphy at his throne, playing cards with some of the other patients in the asylum feeling pretty good about himself.
Teppei Ando is an artist in his mid twenties currently seen moping around a bank 9-6, for a change from his starving artist position he had been so loyal to since leaving art school. Unknown to his coworkers, Teppei still secretly holds barnacleistically - if you will, to high hopes of being an illustrator and continues to seek low paying freelance work with greedy ambition. He hopes to continue to keep it real and perfect his style and make friends with all the best sandwich places in the bay area (because once you get to know them, they tend to be the nicest of fooderies).
http://www.teppeiando.com/