Hamsa 2008

Drawing inspiration from Stacey’s article in Astarte’s Mega-Zine (Issue 4), resulted in my second submission to the 100-artdoll challenge. Used as an image in many cultures throughout the world, the Hamsa typically represented a symbol to ward off negative influences. Stacey’s research further revealed that the eye-in-the-hand symbol additionally represented amongst different religions: compassionate wisdom, creative divine wisdom and the identification and response to community needs.

I first used the Hamsa imagery in 1986 as a fine-art student at R.M.I.T., Melbourne. Now, in 2008, I decided to revisit my appreciation of the image through the challenge. My 2008 Hamsa was made from a cut-out scan of my own hand pasted onto polystyrene board. I strengthened it with layers of papier-mache and coated it with (my obsession of the moment) glittery paint. I reached into my box of random eyes and inserted one in the middle of the palm. Now was the time to have more fun and add another creative layer to the piece. To magnify the energy from the eye, I glued a circular magnifying glass atop plastic pushpins and positioned it accordingly. To display Hamsa 2008, I planned to hang it within a frame. I coated the painting within the frame (one of my old ones that didn’t quite work out) with purple suede effect paint. To finish the piece off, I used Velcro dots to suspend the Hamsa in the middle of the frame. One last addition: a pendulum, coated in papier-mache and painted was hung from the lower pushpin. Glued onto the pendulum were words that I considered relevant to historic, current, and (my) personal intentions that have underpinned Hamsa symbolism.

Words attached to the pendulum included:

• Creativity
• Future
• Healing
• Perseverance
• Purpose
• Reflection
• Transformation

(This post relates to Hamsa 2008, Arrigo Dorissa art doll #2, January 2008)

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