CELESTIUM
A Pantheon of 21st Century Gods.
CELESTIUM explores the question: What could the gods of the 21st century look like and stand for?
We would like to create a Pantheon of Modern Gods. Presented as a series of 12 large portraits that move in very slight but mesmerising ways, these works will be projected into picture frames.
Each god will be an animated ethereal creature with idiosyncratic manners, voices and cryptic monologues. And each god will represent a different cultural force that influences our current world to encourage thinking about 21st century human values.
Inspired by cross-cultural religious iconography and mythology this group of modern day gods will look futuristic, communicate modern issues but follow traditional religious formulae.
The Pantheon's "line up" could include the following gods:
1. Arvandor - the Deity of Ambition: This deity represents the desire for success and achievement. It is worshipped by those who value ambition, hard work, and the pursuit of goals. However, it can also be seen as a negative force, encouraging people to prioritize personal success over the needs of others.
2. Omniscion - the Deity of Information: This deity represents the power and value of knowledge and information. It is worshipped by those who value education, research, and the ability to access and disseminate information. However, it can also be seen as a force of misinformation, enticing people to consume fake news and engage with subject matters on a superficial, simplistic level.
3. Joyvius - the Deity of Entertainment: This deity represents the importance of leisure and entertainment in modern society. It is worshipped by those who value pleasure, enjoyment, and the ability to escape from the pressures of everyday life. However, it can also be seen as a force of distraction, encouraging people to avoid confronting deeper issues and challenges.
4. Midasara - the Deity of Materialism: This deity represents the importance of comfort through material possessions and financial success. It is worshipped by those who value wealth, luxury, and status symbols as measures of success. However, it can also be seen as a force of greed, encouraging people to prioritize personal gain over the needs of others.
5. Concordia - the Deity of Community: This deity represents the importance of social connections and relationships. It is worshipped by those who value community, empathy, and the ability to form meaningful bonds with others. However, it can also be seen as a force of conformity and tribalism, encouraging people to prioritize groupthink over individualism.
6. Soterion - the Deity of Faith: This deity represents the power and value of religious and spiritual belief. It is worshipped by those who value faith, devotion, and the search for higher meaning and purpose. However, it can also be seen as a force of dogmatism, encouraging people to prioritize tradition over critical thinking.
7. Solitara - the Deity of Individualism: This deity represents the value of personal autonomy and freedom of choice. It is worshipped by those who prioritize individual rights and self-expression, and reject conformity or societal expectations. However, it can also be seen as a force of selfishness, egotism and narcissism, encouraging people to prioritize their own needs and desires over the needs of the larger community.
Each deity would be developed rigorously to create a coherent, meaningful and relatable but otherworldly character and information about each god will be made available to visitors.
Since deities all over the world are associated with various objects and symbols (e.g. lightning bolt for Zeus, sea trident for Poseidon etc.) we would adorn our deities with a similar array of divine paraphernalia that can be visually animated and interpreted through a modern mythology specifically written for this project.
For example, objects for the Deity of Individualism could include:
A bird in flight symbolizes personal freedom and autonomy, as it represents independence and the ability to soar above limitations.
A key symbolizes freedom of choice and personal autonomy, as it represents the power to open doors and make one's own decisions.
A compass symbolizes personal autonomy and freedom of choice, as it represents the ability to navigate one's own path and choose one's own direction.
A butterfly symbolizes personal transformation and self-expression, as it represents growth and change.
Potential Gallery Layout:
