Mixed media by Julia Datchenko

Two papercuts create a single cosmic composition—a pair of creatures that maintain the balance of the world. The bull and the cow are the original pair, personifying the masculine and feminine principles, strength and gentleness, action and birth. They are the pillars of the world, like day and night, heaven and earth. Wings are the connection between the earthly and the heavenly, between matter and spirit. The sun on their backs is both a burden and a blessing. They “hold up the world” not as a punishment, but as a mission: to sustain life, light, and movement. Solar signs, crosses, and swastikas are symbols of the eternal cycle, the movement of time, the sun, and the breath of the world. They remind us that the world lives in rhythm, and this rhythm is the harmony of masculine and feminine. Bowed heads are a gesture of humility and gratitude, an acknowledgment that everything earthly is sacred. These papercuts embody creative life force, the unity of earthly and heavenly principles, the power of nature, and the renewal of life.