This as my entry for The Folio Book Illustration Award 2022, illustrating the Mask of The Red Death by E. A. Poe. 

Can you spot the Red Death, can you? Hint: look at a thumbnail.

So in my head, the people at the Masquerade Party took some fun drugs that made them see glimpses of the future, and then they made their own costumes accordingly. 

Only... they didn't really understand what they saw, or what was important. We have the Telephone-man, and the Polar-Bears-Are-Extinct child, Elvis Presley Joker, and of course Dali Burning Giraffe Lady (she thought she was so wicked clever!) 

Prince Prospero was obviously a narcissist and the only reason he was so upset with the mystery guest dressed as the Red Plague was that he himself wanted to impersonate it, and terrorize a bit his court, only his costume was no so good. But of course, there was no mystery guest, it was all a (metaphorical) illusion! That's why it was impossible to catch or kill ! Ha ha, I had so much fun! 

Anyway, I wasn't shortlisted. But hey! I got to draw Burning Giraffe Lady!