Chapter 61 - Proof I Was Still Here

In the depths of my most fragile state, when I felt like I was unraveling, my world took an unexpected artistic turn. It was during what I can only describe as my "2D from Gorillaz" phase, a surreal time when reality felt as fragmented and otherworldly as the band's music videos. I immersed myself in their universe—not just listening, but living, breathing, and, somehow, creating within it.
It started small, just scribbles and ideas, until it became something more. I began crafting a 40,000-word story, one that mirrored the spiralling chaos and raw vulnerability inside me. It wasn’t for adults—far from it. It was written for children, as if my subconscious was desperate to simplify my struggles into something pure and digestible, something that even I could make sense of. At the time, I thought it was probably terrible—so raw, so unfiltered—but it flowed out of me like it needed to exist.
That wasn’t enough. Words turned into images, as I fired up Photoshop and started creating. Inspired by Gorillaz's unique, animated universe, I decided to weave myself directly into their world. I wasn’t just a fan anymore—I was part of it. I took their iconic 2D art and added a layer of 3D. My layer. My essence. My messy reality blended into their meticulously constructed one. The juxtaposition was hauntingly beautiful, at least to me.
The act of crafting those images felt like holding up a mirror, one that was more forgiving than my own reflection. I saw the me I wanted to be—a version that survived, thrived, even found humour in their pain. The characters didn’t just stare back at me; they understood. That world became my sanctuary, where my struggles weren’t just background noise—they were the story itself.
When it was all done, I couldn’t even bear to look at what I’d made. The story, the images—they felt like time capsules, a snapshot of a part of me I wasn’t ready to face. But somewhere, deep down, I knew they weren’t just remnants of my pain; they were proof that even at my worst, I still created, still tried. They were proof that I was still here.
Maybe one day I’ll open those files again, read the words, and really see the art. Not as the remnants of someone unraveling but as the foundation of someone piecing themselves back together.
Here’s a small excerpt from the story—written in full 2D style, raw and ridiculous and very much me at the time. “Guys guys guys guys guys I don’t know where to start really. It’s Stuart here, but you all know me as 2D from everyone’s favourite superstar band Gorillaz. My surname is Pot. I have touched a little bit of the old devil’s lettuce to say the least. I’d almost say I’m a snail, so I really find this hilarious. My mum not so much. She’s always worrying about me like mums do. My surname was originally Tusspot, but we changed that because... well.. I mean to be fair I am also a bit of a tosspot at times too and I give people plenty of reasons to make that joke. This got shortened to Stu-pot which was quite unfortunate because it sounds like ‘stupid’ from a distance. I’m the skinny blue one in the band if you don’t know. Seriously, I need to let you all know some really mad things... you wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through! I was chatting with Noodle earlier and she said, “how can the world know what you think when you send them all to sleep with your beautiful voice when you’re singing”. She’s got a point; clever cookie that one. Anyway, I had all these weird epiphanies and stuff over 10 years ago when I was 30. I mean, I know I’m just meant to be an innocent singer who is just going ‘la la la la la’ all the time, but a lot does actually go on in this little head of mine. Sure there’s a lot of rhymes in there, and I dig those out for you guys, but I’m not a ‘blank sheet of paper’ like some jumped up prick was saying in the Youtube comments. I’m more of a piece of paper with loads of crayons all over it in quite a nice design, actually. Epiphanies are those things like, you know when you go to the shops and you’ve like got loads of stuff to get.. and you’re there with your basket and it’s a bit heavy and everyone’s giving you the evils cos you’re getting in their way... and then you realise your bag for life is at home once again. That’s an epiphany! Or another example.. you know when you’re like going to school and your teacher asks you a question and you realise that because you didn’t even bother to look in the book thing that he gave you the week before because you’ve been too busy on Call of Duty Zombies.. you look really silly don’t you. That’s sort of like the results of having an epiphany, and it probably ended up with you staining your pants for a least a few seconds while you looked like a complete idiot in-front of all your friends. So what was my epiphany?? Well.. ok this is going to sound really crazy yeah, but you have to believe me. I Stuart Potts, son of David and Rachel Potts swear on both of my parent’s lives that I am not lying to you. I just literally can’t. That’s one of the epiphanies actually.. I’ve had many. Well, I can if I really want to, but because I wouldn’t hurt a stick insect it’s sort of OK because I never have any bad intentions. Often it’s because I’m embarrassed about something and trying to hide it to keep a little bit of dignity! The main one though was that I don’t get all this evolving from monkeys stuff that they teach you in school. I keep asking everyone, if we evolved from monkeys how are there still monkeys? Were some of them like anti-evolving or something? Monkey Lives Matter protests? And then I’m like what’s the deal with all the different races of people? Black, white.. how do monkeys become white or black? The weather? I know I’m not super duper clever like some professor or something, but it just doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, they keep calling me 2D but I’m actually 3D when I look through my eyes. How is that possible? And the rest of the world is 3D so how can I be flat as a pancake when the media puts out our videos? They’ve all been in on it from the start I swear, it’s some huge conspiracy against me! Every time I’m there, waiting for the latest video to come out... I mean last time we literally had to fly to space.. I’ve put so much effort in. But I’m there watching the countdown tick down on Youtube like some potential bomb explosion, and each time it’s exactly the same. I swear, I just don’t look like that. I’m a real being, here with you guys.. why do they keep doing this???? They are trying to turn me into a cartoon!”
Maybe one day I’ll open those files—and this time, I’ll be ready.