August 2022

This one came from workings with Prayer to Selene from the Greek Magical Papyri. At first I thought it was Hekate or Selene, but the older faces suggested something else. The geometric goddess figure on their breastbone drew my research further down, and way, way back.  I found that this one is ‘pre-Selene’ - the force that later became identified with the lunar goddess Selene by the ancient Greco-Egyptian sorcerers. I couldn’t find any specific information about a pre-Selene, so I’ll simply call this one by the words that invoked her. Prayer to Selene.

Still the faces were carrying further mysteries I didn’t understand. But as I went deep into the left figure, with her strangely decaying visage. I realised she is Death. And the face on the right is Life. The central figure with her gaze of fierce questioning compassion is the in-between. As such she IS Hekate, goddess of the interstices, of liminality.

Prayer to Selene calls upon three goddesses who are often conflated - Selene, Hekate and Artemis. It also calls Persephone, and the triplicities of the Fates - The Moirai - Klotho, Lachesis and Atropos. Also, this magnificent conjuration calls in Tisiphone, Megaira and Allekto, otherwise known as The Furies.

The inscriptions came in Greek, around their collarbones: 
κλῦθι ἡμῖν εὐχόμενοις’ - ‘hear us praying’.

I had a sense that it’s not just us praying to the gods,
but that the gods are also praying for us.

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Every print will be consecrated with IV. 2785-2890 from the Greek Magical Papyri, which calls upon the lunar goddess Selene to fulfil any need.

“…wherefore they call you Hekate,

Many-named, Mene, cleaving air just like

Dart-shooter Artemis, Persephone,

Shooter of deer, night shining, triple-sounding,

Triple-headed, triple-voiced Selene

Triple-pointed, triple-faced, triple-necked,

And goddess of the triple ways, who hold

Untiring flaming fire in triple baskets,

And you who oft frequent the triple way

And rule the triple decades, unto me

Who’m calling you be gracious and with kindness

Give heed”

- from Prayer to Selene for any spell, PGM IV. 2815-2828 (trs. Betz)

ΑΡΑΡΑΧΑΡΑ ΗΦΤΗΙΣΙΚΗΡΕ

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390 x 567 mm approx, with white border
on 420mm x 597 paper

Printed on heavyweight 315gsm archival watercolour paper, with Epson UltraChrome HD inks.
Signed and editioned and backed with board in a transparent sleeve.

Limited edition of 100 ONLY

All large prints come beautifully wrapped in tissue and ribbon, in a robust flat card box, with a hand written message included. Gift messages can also be included.
Worldwide shipping available.