[art] inuit night

[ib_archive]

artist: yue ix (yue_ix)
email: yue.ykx [at] gmail.com





"According to Inuit mythology, Igaluk and his sister Malina lived together in a village. They were very close when young, but came to live apart as they grew older, in the lodges for women and for men. One day, as Igaluk looked at the women, he found that his sister was the most beautiful. And so that night, as everyone slept, he crept into the women's dwelling and forced her. As it was dark, Malina was unable to tell who her attacker was, but the next night, when the same thing happened, she covered her hands with the soot from the lamps and smeared the Anningan's face with it. Afterwards, she took a lamp and looked through the skylight of the men's lodge. She was surprised to find that the man was Igaluk, her own brother. So Malina sharpened her knife and cut off her breasts. She put them in a bowl and carried this to the men's lodge, and presented it to Igaluk, saying "If you enjoy me so much, then eat these," and ran away out the door, grabbing a torch as she went. Igaluk chased after her, likewise taking a torch, and was able to easily follow her path, as her footsteps were marked with great pools of blood. However, he tripped and dropped his torch, and the flame was put out, except for a faint glow. Eventually however, Igaluk caught up to his sister, and the two ran so fast that they took off into the sky and became the moon and the sun."

- Wikipedia

Comments

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Dude, now that's a myth.

But I really like your picture. The expression on the girl's face, particularly. The colors with the harsh black are a really nice contrast.

[yue_ix]

The myth had indeed left quite an impression on me when I first heard it in anthropology class years ago. Beside the imagery, I found it very interesting that, for a creation myth around taboos, the humans involved punished themselves (at least, the girl did) instead of both being fine with it and the Gods having to punish them. Well, maybe permitting both the boy and the girl to be in the same sky was a punishment, but I see it more as a natural ending to deep rage and compulsions than anything imposed by higher beings. So it has a "life can suck but take responsability and act on it" kind of feel, if that makes any sense. I think I just ranted way too much.

Thank you very much. I made a newer (and prettier, imo) version that can be seen here if you are interested. I tried to make the woman more ethnically correct and slightly more pissed and cold. She's badass, after all. I'll make yet another version soon as I'm still discontent with it. I'm very happy to hear you liked the contrast! It was the contrast I wanted - reflecting how such a dark story taking place at night is the birth of day and night's light sources.

[letterbugg.livejournal.com]

i love the expression on her face. beautiful.

[yue_ix]

Thank you very much! I'm very happy to hear so. =)