Original artwork description:

This artwork delves deeply into mythological and archetypal imagery, exploring profound themes such as war, death, and rebirth. At its core is Demeter, the ancient chthonic goddess revered as the arbiter of life and death, and the bestower of fertility. Known by many names - Mother Goddess, Ishtar, Inanna, Isis, Astarte, Cybele-Rhea - she embodies a myriad of divine aspects.

In her taloned grasp, she holds a snake - a potent symbol of duality, the Fall, and primal vitality. Demeter both commands and emanates this enigmatic creature, symbolizing the intricate interplay of opposing forces.

Her entwined form with the black bull symbolizes the aggressive male essence, a force of pure and dark testosterone. She governs and serves this primal energy simultaneously, birthing twin gods who illuminate the divine dance of duality - where beauty and terror intertwine as inseparable facets of existence, born from and sustained by the same cosmic forces.

Seated in the lower right corner is Dionysus, another ancient chthonic deity, a horned lunar god who bestows altered states of consciousness, wild ecstatic fervor, sacrificial rites, and cathartic release. Through frenzy and relinquishment of self, he offers liberation - shedding the physical form, spilling blood, relinquishing the mind to unveil pure energy. He embodies the unseen aspect of the moon essential for existence.

Imbibe from his chalice, surrender to his essence, don the Golden Bough crown upon your brow, and dissolve... The familiar self dissipates, giving way to an unknown yet more authentic self.

Opposite lies a figure symbolizing sacrifice - the realm of compassion, life through service, and ascetic devotion. Dionysus reigns over orgiastic rituals, offering an alternate path to liberation. By giving your heart to nurture others, they consume it to sustain their own lives. Life necessitates death; death begets life - all interconnected by the eternal cycle of demise, rebirth, and metamorphosis.

At the artwork's base lies an eternal field - a tribute to those who perished defending their homes and loved ones. Their selfless sacrifices prevented darkness from engulfing their offspring. Their deaths paved the way for a new generation to thrive, embodying the ultimate act of valor and transcendence.

The benevolently merciful goddess Demeter presents her severed head to these fallen souls, uniting them in blood and granting them eternal life. With eyes veiled by her hands, she embraces them unconditionally, sanctifying their sacrifice. This is a requiem, an ode to immortality and resurrection from darkness.

Materials used:

Acrylic paint, Structural Paste, Bird feathers

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