Friday, February 28, 2014

Animal Collective

Here's my new series of 10 collages. It's a collaborative commission with John Hering.

A'AN
As Thoth's alter ego, A'an also appears as a dog faced baboon or a man with the head of a baboon when he is A'an, the god of equilibrium.[20] In the form of A'ah-Djehuty he took a more human-looking form.These forms are all symbolic and are metaphors for Thoth's attributes. The Egyptians did not believe these gods actually looked like humans with animal heads.For example, Ma'at is often depicted with an ostrich feather, "the feather of truth," on her head, or with a feather for a head. 
Here we also can see the bird within A'an.



 ANHUR
In early Egyptian mythology, Anhur (also spelled Onuris, Onouris, An-Her, Anhuret, Han-Her, Inhert) was originally a god of war who was worshipped in the Egyptian area of Abydos, and particularly in Thinis. Myths told that he had brought his wife, Menhit, who was his female counterpart, from Nubia, and his name reflects this—it means (one who) leads back the distant one.
One of his titles was Slayer of Enemies. Anhur was depicted as a bearded man wearing a robe and a headdress with four feathers, holding a spear or lance, or occasionally as a lion-headed god (representing strength and power). 
Due to his position as a war god, he was patron of the ancient Egyptian army, and the personification of royal warriors. Indeed, at festivals honoring him, mock battles were staged. During the Roman era the Emperor Tiberius was depicted on the walls of Egyptian temples wearing the distinctive four-plumed crown of Anhur.


 ATLAS BROTHERS
In Greek mythology, Atlas (/ˈætləs/; Ancient Greek: Ἄτλας) was the primordial Titan who held up the celestial sphere. He is also the titan of astronomy and navigation. Although associated with various places, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa (Modern-day Morocco and Algeria). 
Here we can see Atlas and his family holding planets and stars.


 DAKESHA'S YAJNA
Daksha: According to Hindu legend, Daksha is one of the sons of Lord Brahma, who, after creating the ten Manas Putras, created Daksha, Dharama, Kamadeva and Agnifrom his right thumb, chest, heart and eye-brows respectively.Besides his noble birth, Daksa was a great king. Pictures show him as a rotund and obese man with a stocky body, protruding belly, and muscular with the head of an ibex-like creature with spiral horns.


Yajna:In Hinduism, yajña (Sanskrit: यज्ञ; IAST: yajña, also transliterated yagya or yadnya) or yagam (Tamil: யாகம்), is a ritual of offerings accompanied by chanting of Vedic mantras (also "worship, prayer, praise, offering and oblation, sacrifice" according to Monier-Williams) derived from the practice in Vedic times.


Here's the Story of Daksha’s Yajna


 FAUNA OF MIRRORS
The fauna of mirrors is an ancient Chinese myth that behind every mirror there is an entirely different world. This other dimension is home to creatures that are unknown to earth. The inhabitants are in no way similar to the creatures of earth.


The lynx  has a prominent role in Greek, Norse, and North American mythology. It is considered an elusive and mysterious creature, known in some American Indian traditions as a 'keeper of secrets'. It is also believed to be gifted with supernatural eyesight, capable of seeing even through solid objects. As a result, it often symbolises the unravelling of hidden truths, and the psychic power of clairvoyance.


 GANESHAS
Ganesha, also spelled Ganesa, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka is a widely worshipped deity in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India. 
Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions. 


 MONKEY BUSINESS
The Eye of Providence (or the all-seeing eye of God) is a symbol showing an eye often surrounded by rays of light or a glory and usually enclosed by a triangle. It is sometimes interpreted as representing the eye of God watching over humankind (or divine providence). In the modern era, the most notable depiction of the eye is the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, which appears on the United States one-dollar bill.



 MUSA
The mouse is somewhat similar to the black sheep in terms of symbolism. The logo and mount of Ganesh, the first son of Shiva and Parvati, was a mouse. Mythical scholars say it represents the aspect of the Divine within us. The word is associated with the Sanskrit, "musa," deriving from the root word, "mus," meaning "to steal." This little gang are the Gods of Fraud, just look at their Mafia style.



 THE VICTORY OF THE GODS
Gods with the "V" of Victory of The Law of the Jungle. (in a world where a sloth would probably defeat a tiger or a bull...)


"The Law of the Jungle" is an expression that means "every man for himself," "anything goes," "might makes right," "survival of the strongest," "survival of the fittest," "kill or be killed," "dog eat dog" and "eat or be eaten,". The Oxford English Dictionary, defines the Law of the Jungle as "the code of survival in jungle life, now usually with reference to the superiority of brute force or self-interest in the struggle for survival." It is also known as jungle law or frontier justice.

 THOTH
Thoth was considered one of the most important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis (bird) or a baboon (see next collage Titled A'an, where this same god is depicted as a monkey), animals sacred to him.


The Egyptians credited him as the author of all works of science, religion, philosophy, and magic. The Greeks further declared him the inventor of astronomy,astrology, the science of numbers, mathematics, geometry, land surveying, medicine, botany, theology, civilized government, the alphabet, reading, writing, and oratory. They further claimed he was the true author of every work of every branch of knowledge, human and divine.


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