the tears of sleeping birds (drawing in progress)

A species of moth drinks tears from the eyes of sleeping birds using a fearsome proboscis shaped like a harpoon, scientists have revealed. The new discovery - spied in Madagascar - is the first time moths have been seen feeding on the tears of birds.

Palestinian woman holding child, 1920. Photographer unknown

"Pomponia imperatoria"

"Pomponia imperatoria"

I ve been invited to take part of "Skull Appreciation Day "show curated by  Noah Scalin and Vanessa Ruiz at The International Museum of Surgical Science . As part of the show i was asked  to use a provided template to create a new digital work, that they could cut apart and recombine with other artist's work. so I made this piece as a tribute  to cicadas and  their symbolism often associated with resurrection, immortality, spiritual realization and spiritual ecstasy .

A symbol of rebirth

Linnaeus named the Cicada which means “tree cricket” in Latin. The group’s genus Magicicada comes from the Greek word Magi, meaning magic. The lifecycle and metamorphosis of this cricket was observed by ancient Greeks, Chinese and Mayas. They craftily associated the creature’s emergence from the ground and transformation into a winged invertebrate fully capable of flight,  to rebirth and the immortality in poetry, literature and art.

In Chinese folklore the cicada is considered a sacred animal symbol of resurrection .During the Chou Dynasty  cicada-shaped funeral jades were used in religious ritual burials. The cicada funeral jade was placed on the tongue of deceased (dead) people as it was believed to bring about resurrection or reincarnation.

"I go through three stages of
development: egg, nymph and adult. My egg is laid
in tree branches and when I hatch I fall to the ground.
In my larval stage I am called a nymph and I can live in the ground for many years. Some periodic broods or nests of cicada larvae live in the ground for 17 years! I emerge from the ground and attach myself to trees, plants, or structures until I pop out of my skin and become an adult. As an adult, I only live from 2 weeks to 40 days. "

Portrait of Shanta Rao, c1955 (Richard Avedon)

Hair will tear us apart again (sketch)

A drawing i did on the subway  during this week while going to my  german lessons ...

Swahili

      For her marriage, a Swahili girl undergoes a series of beauty treatments that mark her transition to womanhood. Her hands, arms, and feet are decorated with a dye made of powdered henna, water, and the juice of unripe limes which darkens the color. These designs - considered to bring blessings and good luck - are applied by her “somo”, or teacher, who is often an older sister or aunt who isntructs her on how to please her new husband.    

From Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher’s Lamu: Kenya’s Enchanted Island

"Simurgh" new drawing

SIMURGH
ACRYILIC AND  BALLPOINT PEN  ON PAPER
42x59 cm
2013


 Persia: The Simurgh

Unlike his tricksteresque counterparts Pazuzu and Imdugud/Anzu in Sumer, the Simurgh is known as a beneficial bird-being. The Simurgh is sometimes compared to a phoenix, but is also described (as with Pazuzu and Imdugud/Anzu) as a lion-bodied creature with wings and a bird's beak. The touch of the Simurgh, or one of its feathers, could heal a man instantly, and apparently the Simurgh had knowledge of how to prepare a special restorative brew known as houma.

According to Persian myth, the Simurgh lived in the Tree of Knowledge, again tying it to the myth of the Anzu, which made its nest in the Huluppu tree. According to the Occultopedia, "When the Simurgh took flight, it was said, its powerful ascent shook the tree's branches so violently that the seeds [from every plant that has ever existed] were scattered throughout the world, bringing a wealth of valuable plants to mankind.

Later, according to myth, the Simurgh nested in seclusion on the sacred Persian mountain of Alburz, far beyond the climbing abilities of any man." This ties the Simurgh to creation myth, similar to the story of Melek Ta'us breaking apart the cosmic egg to create the world -- and to the Watchers' eventual banishment to remote regions of the desert (or the sky) after their contact with mankind went awry.

source

Interview in dpi magazine " Meticulous art book no.2 "

Janus no.1 work in progress

Well i ve been extremely busy with few drawings lately but this one is taking all my time .. i finished this drawing in January  but  one morning i woke up with the idea of making something more than just a drawing , in the beginning i only wanted the drawing in a nice cabinet   but then i started to imagine that a double face like  "Janus"  will be interesting and little by little this came out ,i am actually a bit stress  about the fact of using electricity  to light it up perhaps in the future i will build another one using natural light .

ready to be glued on the wood

already painted 

i will post better images when the object will be ready

Work in progress

Anacridium no.2 _ Process

For this second Anacridium  i ve been inspired by carnivorous plants "Nepenthes "fishes ,Haeckel drawings and very important the  motherhood behavior "Suicide "of the Enteroctopus dofleini .

Altruism and Sacrifice of Mother Octopus

work in progress

The Host Of Seraphim (841 × 1189 mm)