Lycanthrope

Lycanthropy is the supernatural ability of a person to transform into a wolf, or wolf-like creature. The term is derived from the Greek word: Lykánthropos. However there exists a psychological disorder in which a person believes he or she has transformed into an animal, often behaving like the animal into which they have transformed. The psychological disorder is typically referred to as clinical lycanthropy to distinguish the term from its use in fiction.

In one of my creative-writing-works-in-progress, a character lives with clinical lycanthropy. Although he is cared for by a loyal family member, his wanderings throughout one of Melbourne’s protected State forests, reinforces some of the local residents’ willingness to believe in the supernatural and irrational world. As stated, my writing project is a work in progress but it has prompted me to use another donated/discarded object into a project for the 100-artdolls challenge.

In an earlier post I expressed gratitude for the gifts people have donated to me for use as potential sculptures or parts thereof. When a friend recently offered me her child’s plastic doll that had been chewed by the family’s 16-month old Jack Russell-cross, I thought of the lycanthrope character in my story. The result became Lycanthrope: a reconstructed plastic doll held together and decorated with pieces of fabric, glue, plastic teeth, dog fur and human hair. He stands approximately 42 centimeters tall.

This Lycanthrope is not a metamorphosed wolf-like creature. Like the character in my book, which some people choose to perceive as a supernatural creature, he is in reality an individual in fancy-dress and dealing with the complexities of a psychological disorder. He represents decision of being drawn to the irrational or magical thinking over the rational and realistic; a concept that continues to intrigue me and it may prompt further sculptures for this project.

(This post relates to Lycanthrope, Arrigo Dorissa art doll #13, April 2008)