The King explores the concept of the simulacrum, the symbol that no longer has an original, but contains meaning in its own right. Despite the death of Elvis Presley, his cultural ubiquity ensures that mythologized aspects of his personality live on through mass-produced ephemera, such as mirror hangers, playing cards, newspapers from the day of this death, television recordings, and jigsaws. This series explores how simple items of representation stir nostalgia not simply for the performer, but for a kind of utopian world that has at its heart the kind, well-mannered yet masculine Southern Gentleman. These objects become not only evidence of the history and popularity of The King, but also of a longing for a simple, devout, and conservative life in the face of an increasingly complex world.