The Devil

This papercut is inspired by the Slavic myth about the birth of evil forces. Drops fall from the fingers of a deity who has dipped his hand in living water, and from these drops dark creatures emerge—the future spirits of the dark forces. In Slavic tradition, the devil is one of the oldest demonic characters, the son of Chernobog and Mari, a representative of evil, but not omnipotent, subject to the laws of the universe. His story is a myth about the violation of balance, about the temptation to create life against the will of the gods. The drops of water falling from his fingers symbolize living water—the first element from which he created thirteen hordes of demons. This is the moment of the birth of darkness through distorted creation. The small creatures at his feet are newborn creatures, each of which will eventually find its natural refuge: in water, forest, swamp, or field. They are the force of chaos that has not yet realized itself. Exhibitions 08.2024 – “The Shadow of Forgotten Time. Mythology of My Ancestors” Museum of the Opole Village, Opole, Poland 07.2024 – Diploma works of graduates of the Faculty of Arts, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa. City Art Gallery. Poland