The End is My Beginning 2016


Through our Eyes — narratives of Angolan womanhood
Novembro 11 — Novembro 15, 2020
Abuja Art Week Digital, Nigeria


 
After trying to conceive for a long time I starded to study the history of fertility in diverse parts of the world, a costume was created which com-
bines symbols of several fertility goddesses. Artemis from Greece/Turkey, Pachamama from Latin America and the head of a female Totem from Westafrica.

The “eggs” or “breasts” of the Lady of Ephesus on her chest, have been variously interpreted as multiple accessory eggs, grapes, acorns, or even bull testes.

Pachamama (Mother Earth or World Mother) is a fertility goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is an ever-present and independent deity who has her own self-suffi-
cient and creative power to sustain life on this earth. Thus, many in South America believe that problems arise when people take too much from nature because they are taking too much from Pachamama.

The head gear refers to a totem of the Baule tribe from Ivery Coast, which people in the
US believe if they touch the totems head that women fell pragnent. And obviously the
penis is linked in many cultures for invoking
fertility and reproductive fruitfulness.

The make up uses signs which are in different cultures linked to fertility. Waterflow is an archetypal symbol for the flow of life. Similary, the zig-zag is possibly the most ancient symbol of human history.
Acknowledgments
Claudio Chocolate (photography)
Atelier Renato & Co (costume)
Julia Hrdina (make-up artist)