How the Native American Myth About Bats Inspired My Painting of a Hero

 

 

My neighbor gave me a small plastic bag saying “I found this while walking my dog. Knowing you, it will end up on in of your art works.”

It was a small bat. I had never used a bat in my work, so decided to preserve it. When it was ready for its metamorphosis, I recalled the lines from Hamlet, as sorceresses were mixing the ingredients of a magic portion in a cauldron:

“Eye of newt, and toe of frog,

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog”

Hmm. I decided to explore further.

 

In many Native American tribal mythologies and fables, the bat often represents duality. As a mouse that flies like a bird, that is a predictable symbolism. Among the many myths associated with bats in tribal history, the one that gave me an idea for a new work was the belief that a bat represents a hero who is ready to transform and move forward.

So be it – I will paint a hero.

 

As always, my canvas was a preserved wild rabbit hide.

As I started thinking about my hero, I opted for a face painting that resembles dark wings:

 

Soon the face started to take shape. The idea of the hero being transformed and looking forward suggested the look he has --- stern and resolute, staring to a particular direction.

 And it was ready to be framed. The photo atop this page shows the final product.

September 11, 2023

© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2023

 

PS/ Here is a close-up of the bat. Its paper thin leather wings were preserved perfectly, and the wool on its back fits nicely in Shakespeare’s description of the sorceress’s potion recipe!