Yemoja The Mermaid Supreme Pastel By Rasheed Amodu

Year:

Medium:

Oil Pastel

Size - (USA):

36 W x 72 H x 2 D (inches)

Size - (metric):

91.4 W x 182.9 H x 5.1 D (centimeters)

Theme:

Religious

Edition:

Original

Artwork ID:

635761

PDF Copy:

Artwork Info Sheet (PDF)

Artwork Description:

This is a realistic Onaism based acrylic on canvas visual documentary on Yemoja The Mermaid Supreme. She is represented herein as a majestic mermaid because that is the belief of many in traditional Yoruba religion. When we were kids, we believed in the legend of Yemoja as the ultimate mermaid and goddess of the sea. Though, due to modernity science as well as Islam and Christianity some adults do not believe mermaids exist. Whereas, there are others who believed that she was a well-endowed beautiful lady in their own records. Nevertheless, research has revealed that mermaids exist in the marine world. Yemoja is a sea goddess and noted divinity in the pantheon of Yoruba traditional religion’s divinities and deities. Yemoja in Yoruba language means “mother of fishes”, which encourages the mermaid hypothesis and logic. But, a Gelede tradition revealed some of Yemoja’s other human names acronym as ‘Iya N’la’ or ‘Yewajobi, “The mother of all the orisha and all living things.” She gave birth to ‘Efe and ‘Gelede’. In Yoruba traditional religion, Yemoja is a deity of fecundity that helped barren women to conceive and have children. There are other human angle myths, folklores and traditions on Yemoja as a woman before becoming a god. But, the mermaid perspective is more cryptic and mythically inspiring. Thus, Yemoja is represented as an empress of the Sea with her head adorned with a beaded crown which concealed part of her face in the painting. She has some of her subjects, fishes and sea horses, playing and maintaining their tactical formation around her. Yemoja spread out her arms as an inviting gesture to anyone who is interested in her beautiful world.

Artwork Keywords:   Yemoja, Mermaid, Yoruba, Goddess, Sea, Mother, Fishes, Woman, Yewajobi, Gelede, Crown, Original Pastel

Materials:   Oil Pastels