Beneath the Surface

AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY Yoruba Orisha Pantheon 

The Yoruba people have a rich and complex religious tradition that has been passed down through generations.  I have started with Oshun, who is one of the most significant deities in the Orisha Pantheon. As a goddess of rivers and fresh waters, Oshun holds dominion over life giving forces. She nurtures and sustains life.  Oshun attracts wealth and abundance to those who honour her and as a goddess of love, she represents the emotional bonds which unite people.  In my opinion, she is similar to Brigid in the Celtic pagan belief, the goddess of spring and renewal.

“Beneath the Surface” portrays a contemplative face suspended in turquoise currents. Oshun has a small smile on her face as she holds a water lily to her lips, accepting our offering. A butterfly fish, a West African fresh water fish, weaves through the translucent layers, which both conceal and reveal. Green eyes glint with a secret; witty, tender and slightly uncanny.