When plotting his new graphic novel KINGDOM UNITED – Clean up London, author and artist Henry Chebaane had a recurring set of questions in mind. What does it mean to be British in the 21st century? How to move away from a colonial, imperialist legacy while still acknowledge it? How to be inclusive and relevant to a multi-cultural society?

As a professional graphic designer and visual artist, Henry Chebaane chose to rethink the British Imperial icononography seen in various public areas and historical documents and create a Pop Art version. A ‘Groove Britannia’, whose DNA is steeped in the fluid melting pot of people from Europe and the Commonwealth. A Groove Britannia who reasserts herself through the arts, redefining her own purpose from ‘Rule the Waves’ to ‘Waive the rules’.

‘Waive the rules’ is intented as an artistic call to arms, a rallying cry to all fellow UK creatives and everyone who support their endeavours. For creativity to be a force for good, it needs to be embraced and nurtured by our Society from craddle to grave. This means strict legal framework around issues of copyrights, in the face of the increasingly wanton use of Large Language Models by techno-capitalists on steroids.

Pop Culture is a vital ingredient of the United Kingdom psychographic realm. Beside its obvious economic benefits to drive exports of books, music, films, fashion, goods, food, drinks, vehicles, design, art and architecture… British Pop Culture has tremendous psychological and sociological benefits in helping shape a solid sense of individual and collective identity, projecting a dynamic flow of positivity across the world. Soft power is still power. One could argue that it is, indeed, the most long-lasting form of influence. The power to inspire, energise and innovate. The power to waive the rules rather than rule the waves.

Groove Britannia (GB) is a skilled, confident and generous character. As comfortable handling a broom to clean the streets, as holding a microphone to belt out rousing songs after the working day is over. Groove Britannia is an heroic archetype, whose essence, author Henry Chebaane seeks to explore and manifest in very different ways, through the protagonists of his two graphic novel series The Panharmonion Chronicles and Kingdom United.