-INSPIRATION-
King Tereus of Thrace, married to the Athenian princess Procne, travels to fetch her sister Philomela — and on the journey, violates her. To keep her silent, he cuts out her tongue and leaves her imprisoned. But silence is not the end of the story. Unable to speak, Philomela weaves a tapestry depicting every detail of what was done to her and sends it to Procne. Art becomes testimony. The sisters reunite, and together take a revenge so terrible it consumes everything — including Procne's own son, Itys, served as a meal to his unknowing father. When Tereus discovers the truth and draws his sword, the gods intervene before blood can be spilled. All three are lifted from the earth and transformed — Tereus into a hoopoe, Procne into a nightingale, and Philomela into a swallow. Head in the Clouds is not a depiction of the traumatised artist in the aftermath of hearing the story.