4. A God That Speaks Of Evolution
Updated: Mar 3
Mixed media on linen
(acrylic, genuine platinum leaf)
60" x 40"
February 2022
Academic Egyptology debates the praying mantis god Abyt as a deity, let alone a significant one. My personal understanding is that because He was connected to the alchemy of being in a way that affects the evolutionary imprint one leaves on the species during life, He may have been too sacred for the ancients to mention.
Thus far, it is only in King Seti 1st’s tomb that we see Him mentioned, along with 2 other sacred texts where He appears as a celestial escort. The text included in the painting was sourced and supplied to me by my colleague iconographer Ptahmassu and is included in a forthcoming work, The Book Of Utterances.
It has not escaped my attention that in the world of UFO lore, mantis beings are frequently mentioned as one of the denizens seen inside of or in relation to UFO’s.
I rate this painting as one of my personal favourites and one of my best.
I completed the study for the painting in August 2020 (below). Yes, M.C. Escher’s 1935 wood engraving “Dream (Mantis Religiosa)”, is an influence and reference for this piece.
