Procul Harun (2021)
Continued personal project
There’s a peculiar story behind a missing cat that inspired one of the most unusual band names in music history. The cat in question, a magical Burmese Blue named Procul Harun, was said to belong to a breeder who used “Procul” as their prefix, with “Harun” believed to be derived from the Hebrew name Aaron. Though the cat’s existence remains shrouded in mystery, it played a crucial role in the naming of the band Procol Harum.
The name was taken down hastily during a phone call, leading to a slight misspelling—turning “Procul Harun” into “Procol Harum.” As the band gained fame in 1967 with their debut record, A Whiter Shade of Pale, theories about the meaning behind the name began to circulate. Some speculated it was Latin for “beyond these things,” but the band later admitted the name had been spelled wrong from the start.
Despite Procul Harun’s role in this odd origin story, no photographs of the Burmese Blue have ever surfaced, and the cat’s fate remains unknown. Over the years, this mystery has sparked countless conspiracy theories, adding layers of intrigue to the legend of the missing feline. The tale is as curious as it is strange—one that merges the mythical with the mundane, captivating not just for its oddities, but for the sense of wonder it leaves behind.
Procul Harun is an archive of curiosities, oddities and mysteries.
Spreads from the first edition print. Print on paper. Cover printed on silver glitter wrapping paper.