Thursday 28 January 2010

Hail Mary, Full of Eggs, Blessed Be Thy Cholesterol

Oksana Mas, a Ukrainian artist, has created a stunning mosaic portrait of the Virgin Mary using 15,000 Ukrainian Easter eggs. It is currently on display at the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. The mosaic is 7 x 7 meters in size, weighs 2.5 tons and took nine months to create. The wooden eggs were painted by the artist and by children from all across the country. Here is Oksana Mas in front of her masterpiece:

A closer view of the Virgin's face:

You can really see the individual eggs in this extreme close-up of Her eye:


I love how the Sacred Mother seems to be rising up out of the depths -- She is the Goddess Returning! The Virgin who births the Divine, She is comprised of the ultimate fertility symbol -- eggs. And is it simply a coincidence that She is being displayed at a cathedral sacred to the female saint, Sophia -- She who is Holy Wisdom?

And what an affirmation of traditional Ukrainian culture with all those gorgeous, painted eggs! I'm sure there is a political message as well -- that an independent Ukraine rises from the bottomless black pit that was Soviet Russia.

18 comments:

brandi said...

~unbelievable and stunning piece of art...it always amazes me what people come up with...we collect handpainted eggs...each year we pick up a couple so that when my little ones are grown they will have something special to decorate with...brightest blessings~

Barbara said...

Egg-zactly!
:p) Wow. Artists never cease to amaze me with their creativity!

mxtodis123 said...

Amazing!!! You have to wonder where people get these ideas.
Mary

Kelly said...

This is absolutely stunning! In every sense... WOW!

BugginWord said...

Gorgeous! You're addictive, you know that? You make me want to drop everything and get painting! Have you see the guy that does portraits with push pins?

http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2009/11/artprizes_push-pin_portraits_by_eric_daigh_featured_on_cbs_sunday_morning.html

Suzie Ridler said...

Perfect with spring on its way! Eggs are so powerful and universal an image, love it. That takes egg artistry to a whole new level of sacred.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

wow...that is really awesome! puts my easter eggs to shame!!!

Miss Robyn said...

beautiful..

my youngest daughter is named Sophie after the Goddess/Saint Sophia!!

I adore Mary.. she is the Goddess that chose me via the Catholic faith.. and it has actually settled ok with me now.. I struggled at first but have now come to peace with it... my post is coming soon xo

Judith said...

It is Saint Mary Magdalene who is often depicted holding a red egg.

Dancing With Fey said...

Now that is so cool. Thanks for sharing! :)

yellowdoggranny said...

how fabulous...i love it.

Rose - Watching Waves said...

How egg-cellent! How does one even think of such a creative concept? Ukrainian eggs, 15,000 of them, in an Old Masters-style depiction of the Virgin. I love it! I don't have that gift, so I'm very appreciative of those who do. And I love your post title, too - lol!

Caroline said...

Holy cow!! Now that's talent!

Rue said...

Incredible. Yet another of piece of my mother's Ukranian heritage that I cannot master. Blast!

Laura said...

this is amazing! Wow, thanks for sharing...a Mother made completely ofrom eggs...how completely perfect.

Blueberry said...

Wow! That is really beautiful. Would definitely not eat it though. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Oh wooooow. That is stunningly beautiful and so full of meaning and layers of symbolism. Now I need to see if she's done any other remarkable pieces like this...

Little Messy Missy said...

Wow that is cool! I love doing pysanky...
xoxoxo