This is where, he explains, Einstein comes in.
“Einstein’s theory of insanity is repeating the same action over and over again, but expecting a different result,” says Worley. “And to be blunt, as a homeless crackhead I lived by that rule. Making the same mistakes over and over again. You live in that Groundhog Day.”
Worley’s art is a denial of that cycle. He is known for his renderings of repeated cartoon characters, disintegrating or falling into each other. Sometimes they can only be recognized by the color scheme. In other works, dozens of Bugs Bunnies, Donald Ducks or Charlie Browns push into each other.
There is a method to the madness, he explains.
“With art, it’s the same action, the same image, over and over again, but creating a different result,” he says. “So it’s like a damn you for Einstein, basically, for his theory and for my past and my drug psychosis. That’s kind of how I deal with it.”
For the big number, Opake has created a series of Mickey Mouse faces falling into each other. Don’t worry: for all the radicalism of its message, he says, it’s also just a big piece of wrapping paper.
“I toned down the dark belly a little bit. Maybe it’s a look of shock from Mickey Mouse! Like, ‘Oh wow, look at this amazing present my parents bought me!’” he laughs.
“If you understand what the actual meaning is and the deeper meaning of it, then you do. But if you look at it and go, ‘I love Mickey Mouse!’, that’s cool too.”
It has become a festive tradition for the Big Issue to team up with some of the country’s best contemporary artists to create exclusive, collectable wrapping paper for Christmas art. This year we’ve teamed up with eight talented artists – including Opake, Harry Hill and Hackney Dave – for our new wrapping paper collection, available to buy from Big Issue Shop starting today (November 7).
Christmas is a particularly difficult time to be on the streets, Worley says, or to experience addiction.
“It feels like everyone is happy and no one sees the humiliation and crap I’m stuck in,” adds the 36-year-old. – It can be the most boring time of the year. So it’s like, let’s go all out, chaotic drug use and alcoholism.”
According to the charity Shelter, at least 309,000 people in England spent last Christmas homeless – including 140,000 children. This figure includes families in temporary accommodationand rough sleepers. More than 3,000 people spent Christmas Day freezing in the streets.
Christmas is very different for Worley these days. He is raising a family with his partner Ruth and “hyper-focused” on his children.
“I have children, small children, so Christmas is cool because I just focus on that. I just hyper focus on what they are doing and how magical it is for them. I’m lucky, you know? I’m lucky in that sense, super, super privileged in that sense.”
Along with his art as Opake, Worley’s love for his partner—and his desire to be a good father to his son, whom he is raising—is what “pulled him out” of the hole of addiction.
“(On the street) I felt so alone and I had completely given up on anyone loving me or me loving anyone else. Then we kind of fell together, me and Ruth, and it was just the most magical thing to me. The thought of to lose it—that meant more to me than going and getting fucked,” he says.
“I’m not saying to be codependent, and you need other help, but love is the most powerful emotion there is.”
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