SETKEN
Artist Statement
Photo: Simon Schluter 2025
The doors of the basin of the sky are thrown open to me
And I go through them.
My leopard skin is on me
And my sceptre is in my hand.
The Pyramid Texts
Utterance 469, Lines 907b - d
Pyramid of King Pepi I
Old Kingdom (6th Dynasty) circa 2332 – 2287 BC
(for hieroglyphic text of this phrase see below)
I am interested in the sacred and the magickal expressed through art, and expressed through art how it then affects life.
The sacred is that which contains the very mystery of who we are. The magickal is the means by which we may know. The Netjeru draw my attention to this.
In my art I seek to go beyond the confines of what existence may be / is, to that numinous dimension that is embracing, threatening, welcoming, hostile and mysterious.
The place from where we seemingly emerge.
This is the hieroglyphic text of the phrase from King Pepi 1st's pyramid referenced above, featured in my painting
Dazzled By The Mirror Of Heaven.
The phrase is also featured in the paintings Magickal 142 and Kemetery.
Setken's Adventures
2025
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Garden Party Exhibition in Hampton, Melbourne, Australia
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Public presentations of talk A Monumental Egyptian Tomb In Melbourne commenced and included in the Open House Melbourne Stories Of the City programme
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Winged Sekhmet painting featured on craft beer label Sekhmet's Rage by Bacchus Brewing
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Setken featured Sergeant Pepper's style on the cover of Jimmy Hornet Magazine Volume 10
2024
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Painting in Llewellyn publication The Complete Encyclopedia Of Ancient Egyptian Deities by Dr. Tamara Siuda
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Featured artist in Volume 6 of Jimmy Hornet Magazine
2023
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Exhibition Adventures In Zoomorphic Idolatry in East Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia
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Completion of games studies certification and launch of The Book Of Divine Insects website
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Painting in group exhibition at local council gallery
2022
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Creation of The Kemetic Majesty Oracle Deck
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Began The Parlour newsletter
2021
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25 year anniversary of meditation audio Creating A Blueprint For The Body That You Want
2020
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The Praying Mantis God Of Ancient Egypt documentary
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Kemetery painting is featured on The Lovestream internet channel serving as a mini documentary for the piece
2018
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NeoPharaonic exhibition in Prahran, Melbourne, Australia
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NeoPharaonic documentary
2017
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Painting This Has All Happened Before And This Will All Happen Again featured on the cover of Profane Egyptologists book
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Setken "discovers" David and Annabella Syme's tomb in Kew Cemetery
2016
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Painting This Has All Happened Before And This Will All Happen Again selected for the 64th The Blake Prize Director's Cut
2013
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Paintings Winged Set and The Artist As Beloved Of Heru And Set selected for the 62nd The Blake Prize Director's Cut
2012
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After not painting for decades, Setken paints the first of a series of portraits of the Netjeru
