Iowa artist Tamara Howell has undertaken a series of sculptures inspired by Norse myth, and among those pieces are five jaw-droppingly lovely skulls—two wolves, three goats—beautifully embellished with, as her web site simply states, “clay and mixed media.” I’d love to know more about her process, but, perhaps with an eye towards maintaining a mystique, Howell seems to demure on those details.
”Sköll Devours the Sun”
”Hati Catches the Moon”
In Norse myth, Sköll and Hati were wolves who pursued the sun and moon across the heavens.
The threat of Sköll and Hati’s size and hunger are emphasized, for their jaws gape open to swallow the heavens. Indeed, the “twilight of the gods”, Ragnarök, is explicitly linked to unrestrained destruction, the wolf’s hunger, namely that the ravening wolves will run free.
”Tanngnjóstr Reborn”
”Tanngrisnir Rising”
The god Thor has two splendid goats that drive his chariot at incredible speed, moving so fast that they shatter the mountains and set the earth on fire. These goats are called Tanngrisnir (“tooth bearer”) and Tanngnjóstr (“tooth grinder”). Whenever Thor rides in his chariot, people can hear the noise from the wheels, and see the sparks and lightning from the goats’ hooves sent out as they flew across the sky. The Icelandic people knew this as this thunder and lightning.
”Heidrun’s Blessing”
Heidrun is a goat who stands atop Odin’s hall, Valhalla, and eats the leaves of the tree Lærad. According to the Gylfaginning, “from her udders mead runs so copiously, that she fills a tun every day”.
This mead is consumed each night by the Einherjar, who are the warriors who have died in battle and have been taken to Valhalla by valkyries. The cauldron Heidrun fills is so large that every warrior in Valhalla can drink their fill from it.
Much more information about the symbolism behind these pieces can be found at Howell’s web site, along with her biography, artist’s statement, and much larger photos than we can show you here. As of this writing, at least four of these pieces are available for sale.
Via Road to Kamarg
Previously on Dangerous Minds
Life-size, anatomically correct chocolate skulls
Death candy: the most adorable skulls you’re likely to see this entire month
Beautiful artwork drawn with fire on skulls