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Rhythm of Life, Ancient and Abstract
group exhibition by Melinda McCarthy, Jennie Rosenbaum & Fank Dyuker 2006 |
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click on the above squares to go to full veiw, and details of images |
| Artist statement |
Ancient
I gain alot of creative inspiration from the ancient world, from it's stories, it's art and it's song. In my last exhibition I explored folklore and tradition from Hungary. This exhibition seemed to stir the hearts of many who came to the show. Not only did I receive lovely comments in my visitor's book, I also had many come to me sharing stories and information from all sorts of mythology and cultures of the globe. These paintings reflect but a few of these and mark the beginning of many a new path to explore. |
| for information on other two artists click here |
| The Artworks |
The Mystery of the Moche 18”x 24”
The Moche are thought to be a fearsome warrior race pre-dating the Inca in Peru. Recently a Moche tomb has been uncovered during an excavation. Inside was a great warrior and leader mummified with all the trimmings of one highly revered, jewels, weapons, even sacrificial offerings. However when they unwrapped the body, this great man they expected to find was a woman!
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Eris 20”x 30”
Many people know the story, Helen of Troy and the Trojan war. Some also know that this story came about because of Helen being offered as a prize to Paris to stop three goddesses squabbling.
But what many do not know (including myself until recently) is why they were arguing to begin with.Apparently it was all thanks to Eris, the goddess of chaos who rolled amongst them a golden apple with kallisti or for the most beautiful written across it. Thus stirring up trouble as of course ALL three believed it theirs and so the story began.
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Grandmother Spider 16”x 16”
As someone who has always been afraid of spiders, I have a new respect for them after learning the Native American Indian veiw of them. In this culture they are keepers of wisdom, weaving the web of life.
This image is based on the story of Grandmother Spider who by moulding a little clay pot, manged to bring fire from the other side of the world where all the other animals failed, thus bringing light and warmth.
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Merlin’s Prophecy 8”x 10”
When King Vortigen tried to build a fortress on Salisbury plain, the ground shook and the
stones crumbled stopping it from ever being completed. The King called upon Merlin to
seek his council. Merlin had a vision of two dragons one red one white, in combat
under the ground. He saw that eventually the white one would win, an omen (much to
the Kings displeasure) that Vortigen himself would be overthrown.
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The Hero in the Mountain 8” x 10”
In many cultures and legends there is often the hero who will one day rise again to help
his people.
Often depicted as hidden away sleeping in a mountain, some stories tell of a sheperd
(or similar figure) stumbling across the hero and being told that only when the birds
stop circling the mountaintop, will it be time for the Hero to return.
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The Sword of God 8”x 10”
As in Arthurian legend, ancient Hungarian legend also speaks of a sword holding special
power and will make a great leader out of it’s owner. Legend says Attila the Hun had
such a sword, found in a field boy who say in become fiery and leap from the ground.
This was called the Sword of God and it has been disovered that in these times swords
were stuck into the ground during lightning storms in hope of the lightning striking them
(perhaps explaining the myth). Those hit took on a special quality, a form of ancient
galvinised steel!
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Helios and Clytie 20”x 24”
If you have ever seen a field full of sunflowers, you may notice that they always seem to follow the sun.
The reasom for this , according to Greek mythology, is because of the love Clytie had for Helois the sun god. Sitting watching the god’s travels as he rose and set each day Clytie pined away until she eventually became rooted to ground and transformed into a sunflower forever following her love.
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Awaking the Sleeping eyes 20”x 30”
In the ancient Hungarian creation Myth, the son of mother and father heaven, transformed into a duck. He dove far into the depths of the waters and there stirred the “sleeping eyes” which as they awoke, rose to the surface and helped form people and all living things of the earth.
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Ode to the Shaman 20”x 30”
Throughout time every culture from all parts of the globe had shamans. These people were the healers, the storytellers and the bridge between the spirit world. They were connected to mother earth and were able to transform themselves and communicate with her.
These people still exist in different pockets of the world. They hold all the ancient knowledge and wisdom and this is my ode to them.
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