Nicolas Sanchez / AlfAlfa (Montevideo, Uruguay)
90 Herzen Street
Anthropomorphic portrayal of a goose
The feminine principle in Tatar culture
Lady Goose: Tradition and Freedom
Казбикә: гореф-гадәт һәм ирек
Context
The image of a goose, personifying the feminine, has flown through the centuries and is firmly entrenched in the Tatar culture.
The animal is found even in early Tatar mythology, where God sends a bird (according to legends it was a goose) to the seabed to get a piece of solid land and create the Earth. The goose as a symbol of inception and virtue is also common in more ancient cultures from where, apparently, it penetrated into the mythology of the Turkic people. In Sumerian culture the bird was tantamount to a farmer deity. In Hinduism the bird symbolized moral knowledge and soul's purity.
Umay, the patroness of maternity and femininity in Turkic and Mongolian culture, was often portrayed as a zoomorph. She was depicted as a woman with goose wings or as a goose with a human face.
Modern Tatars associate the bird with happiness in the house and consider it to be a symbol of reverent attitude to the householding. Goose has become one of the significant objects of folk art. In the national culture, there are more than sixty proverbs and adages in which goose is mentioned. Its image is also represented in poems, such as «A Tartar Is Dancing» by Renat Haris, where a dancing woman is associated with a graceful goose. It can also be found in fairytales, where the bird stands for moral knowledge and spiritual purity («Wild Goose» (tat. «Кыр Казы» – «Kyr Kazy») by Mazhit Gafuri). In addition, the Tatars inherited a jewelry tradition from the Bulgar people , in which geese with a grain in their beak were depicted on temporal pendants and pectoral necklaces (tat. «Хәситә»). Their image symbolized the birth of life.
Umay, the patroness of maternity and femininity in Turkic and Mongolian culture, was often portrayed as a zoomorph. She was depicted as a woman with goose wings or as a goose with a human face.
Modern Tatars associate the bird with happiness in the house and consider it to be a symbol of reverent attitude to the householding. Goose has become one of the significant objects of folk art. In the national culture, there are more than sixty proverbs and adages in which goose is mentioned. Its image is also represented in poems, such as «A Tartar Is Dancing» by Renat Haris, where a dancing woman is associated with a graceful goose. It can also be found in fairytales, where the bird stands for moral knowledge and spiritual purity («Wild Goose» (tat. «Кыр Казы» – «Kyr Kazy») by Mazhit Gafuri). In addition, the Tatars inherited a jewelry tradition from the Bulgar people , in which geese with a grain in their beak were depicted on temporal pendants and pectoral necklaces (tat. «Хәситә»). Their image symbolized the birth of life.
A young peasant woman wearing a working dress of the early 20th century. The picture is from Ramziya Mukhamedova's book «Tartarian folk costumes», Kazan, 1997.
Initial sketch of «Lady Goose».
The animal is found even in early Tatar mythology, where God sends a bird (according to legends it was a goose) to the seabed to get a piece of solid land and create the Earth. The goose as a symbol of inception and virtue is also common in more ancient cultures from where, apparently, it penetrated into the mythology of the Turkic people. In Sumerian culture the bird was tantamount to a farmer deity. In Hinduism the bird symbolized moral knowledge and soul's purity.
Umay, the patroness of maternity and femininity in Turkic and Mongolian culture, was often portrayed as a zoomorph. She was depicted as a woman with goose wings or as a goose with a human face.
Modern Tatars associate the bird with happiness in the house and consider it to be a symbol of reverent attitude to the householding. Goose has become one of the significant objects of folk art. In the national culture, there are more than sixty proverbs and adages in which goose is mentioned. Its image is also represented in poems, such as «A Tartar Is Dancing» by Renat Haris, where a dancing woman is associated with a graceful goose. It can also be found in fairytales, where the bird stands for moral knowledge and spiritual purity («Wild Goose» (tat. «Кыр Казы» – «Kyr Kazy») by Mazhit Gafuri). In addition, the Tatars inherited a jewelry tradition from the Bulgar people , in which geese with a grain in their beak were depicted on temporal pendants and pectoral necklaces (tat. «Хәситә»). Their image symbolized the birth of life.
Umay, the patroness of maternity and femininity in Turkic and Mongolian culture, was often portrayed as a zoomorph. She was depicted as a woman with goose wings or as a goose with a human face.
Modern Tatars associate the bird with happiness in the house and consider it to be a symbol of reverent attitude to the householding. Goose has become one of the significant objects of folk art. In the national culture, there are more than sixty proverbs and adages in which goose is mentioned. Its image is also represented in poems, such as «A Tartar Is Dancing» by Renat Haris, where a dancing woman is associated with a graceful goose. It can also be found in fairytales, where the bird stands for moral knowledge and spiritual purity («Wild Goose» (tat. «Кыр Казы» – «Kyr Kazy») by Mazhit Gafuri). In addition, the Tatars inherited a jewelry tradition from the Bulgar people , in which geese with a grain in their beak were depicted on temporal pendants and pectoral necklaces (tat. «Хәситә»). Their image symbolized the birth of life.
A young peasant woman wearing a working dress of the early 20th century. The picture is from Ramziya Mukhamedova's book «Tartarian folk costumes», Kazan, 1997.
Initial sketch of «Lady Goose».
Ital. Mural — wall
Monumental wall painting created on a faсade or a blank wall of a building or any other urban architectural objects.
Monumental wall painting created on a faсade or a blank wall of a building or any other urban architectural objects.
A type of graphic art where the image of a painting or drawing is achieved by printing with a cliche, previously prepared by an engraver on a copper plate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvaA9F3Rp4A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvaA9F3Rp4A
The artist AlfAlfa (pseudonim of Nicolas Sanchez) specializes in painting mythological subjects from different countries, imitating the engraving technique. His characters are anthropomorphic creatures. «The source of inspiration that I have been feeding on for 25 years is the canvas «The Garden of Earthly Delights» by Hieronymus Bosch», says Sanchez. «Drawing on the artworks of XVII, XVIII and XIX centuries, I try to bring this aesthetics into my own works. Besides, I am a huge fan of various alchemical and occult cards, as well as ancient images of monsters and medieval bestiaries».
Before AlfAlfa started to work on the sketch of «Lady Goose», the artist, together with a group of experts, studied the animal images associated with the woman in Tatar culture.
Analysis of small folklore forms, as well as a survey of local residents in social networks showed that the goose is the folk feminine ideal for the residents of Almetyevsk.
The facade of the house on which the mural was applied was cleaned and whitewashed. The artist painted graphic lines of different length and thickness by hand. «Probably, it is the key feature of my artworks», he explains. «I recreate the engraving technique on a colossal scale».
Before AlfAlfa started to work on the sketch of «Lady Goose», the artist, together with a group of experts, studied the animal images associated with the woman in Tatar culture.
Analysis of small folklore forms, as well as a survey of local residents in social networks showed that the goose is the folk feminine ideal for the residents of Almetyevsk.
The facade of the house on which the mural was applied was cleaned and whitewashed. The artist painted graphic lines of different length and thickness by hand. «Probably, it is the key feature of my artworks», he explains. «I recreate the engraving technique on a colossal scale».
Working process on the mural «Lady Goose», 2019.
AlfAlfa is applying engraving imitation lines with a brush, 2019.
The artist AlfAlfa (pseudonim of Nicolas Sanchez) specializes in painting mythological subjects from different countries, imitating the engraving technique. His characters are anthropomorphic creatures. «The source of inspiration that I have been feeding on for 25 years is the canvas «The Garden of Earthly Delights» by Hieronymus Bosch», says Sanchez. «Drawing on the artworks of XVII, XVIII and XIX centuries, I try to bring this aesthetics into my own works. Besides, I am a huge fan of various alchemical and occult cards, as well as ancient images of monsters and medieval bestiaries».
Before AlfAlfa started to work on the sketch of «Lady Goose», the artist, together with a group of experts, studied the animal images associated with the woman in Tatar culture.
Analysis of small folklore forms, as well as a survey of local residents in social networks showed that the goose is the folk feminine ideal for the residents of Almetyevsk.
The facade of the house on which the mural was applied was cleaned and whitewashed. The artist painted graphic lines of different length and thickness by hand. «Probably, it is the key feature of my artworks», he explains. «I recreate the engraving technique on a colossal scale».
Before AlfAlfa started to work on the sketch of «Lady Goose», the artist, together with a group of experts, studied the animal images associated with the woman in Tatar culture.
Analysis of small folklore forms, as well as a survey of local residents in social networks showed that the goose is the folk feminine ideal for the residents of Almetyevsk.
The facade of the house on which the mural was applied was cleaned and whitewashed. The artist painted graphic lines of different length and thickness by hand. «Probably, it is the key feature of my artworks», he explains. «I recreate the engraving technique on a colossal scale».
Working process on the mural «Lady Goose», 2019.
AlfAlfa is applying engraving imitation lines with a brush, 2019.
To succinctly fit the mural into the environment, it was decided to depict the character in clothes that are contextually understandable to locals. A Peasant girl working clothes of the early 20th century were chosen as the costume for Lady Goose. The character's dress included a modified old Turkic shirt with an upstanding collar (tat. күлмәк). An apron with pointed lower edges is worn over it (tat. канатлы алъяпкыч).
Sleeve covers (tat. «җиңсә») are also a typical rural attribute. Being decorated with embroidery they were worn during field works, and often turned harvest into a demonstration of women's dress. Women used to combine the pattern on the sleeves with the embroidered patterns on the apron and headdress (tat. калфаке). Such an attentive attitude to details was a distinctive feature of rural women's approach to costume. At every given opportunity of going out, they considered it as a chance to surprise neighbours with their beauty.
Some coloured details, which are uncommon for AlfAlfa's artworks, appeared upon the house residents' requests. They suggested adding colours to the black and white engraving. Historically, the Tatars have considered the Sun (on the left side of the painting) as the most powerful and divine source of light and life on the Earth. It is no coincidence that this has become one of the main elements of the republic's coat of arms. A tulip (tat. лэлэ чэчэге) in Lady Goose's right hand is a part of the old image, which symbolizes love and nature's revival. It was found in embroidery patterns, on women's jewelry and tombstones. The flower was one of the first to bloom in the steppe in spring. According to the custom, tulips also were presented to girls by Tatar youths when they confessed their love.
Sleeve covers (tat. «җиңсә») are also a typical rural attribute. Being decorated with embroidery they were worn during field works, and often turned harvest into a demonstration of women's dress. Women used to combine the pattern on the sleeves with the embroidered patterns on the apron and headdress (tat. калфаке). Such an attentive attitude to details was a distinctive feature of rural women's approach to costume. At every given opportunity of going out, they considered it as a chance to surprise neighbours with their beauty.
Some coloured details, which are uncommon for AlfAlfa's artworks, appeared upon the house residents' requests. They suggested adding colours to the black and white engraving. Historically, the Tatars have considered the Sun (on the left side of the painting) as the most powerful and divine source of light and life on the Earth. It is no coincidence that this has become one of the main elements of the republic's coat of arms. A tulip (tat. лэлэ чэчэге) in Lady Goose's right hand is a part of the old image, which symbolizes love and nature's revival. It was found in embroidery patterns, on women's jewelry and tombstones. The flower was one of the first to bloom in the steppe in spring. According to the custom, tulips also were presented to girls by Tatar youths when they confessed their love.
Author
Nicolas Sanchez was born in Merida (Venezuela) in 1983 in a family of artists. He has been drawing since his childhood, depicting fairytales and myths characters, as well as his own ideas. «For me, art is a sort of space in which you can feel absolutely safe», says the artist.
Sanchez's first artworks, made using the graphic technique, were done before he entered the School of Arts of Central University of Venezuela. Not having graduated from the university, AlfAlfa tried to continue his education in the National School of Visual Arts, Montevideo. «I spent ten years in various schools and universities, but I never became a graduate», he points out. Instead of studying, Sanchez decided to practice and learn how the unique mythical stories of different ethnic groups fit into the context of the urban environment.
AlfAlfa can be found on the walls of Volos, Greece («Crion», 2018), Berlin, Germany («Goddess of the hunt», 2017), Breda, the Netherlands («Doctor Pigeon», 2018) and Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France («Cyclope»). In addition, several Sanchez murals are hidden in various cities of China, from Hunan province to Hong Kong.
Sanchez's first artworks, made using the graphic technique, were done before he entered the School of Arts of Central University of Venezuela. Not having graduated from the university, AlfAlfa tried to continue his education in the National School of Visual Arts, Montevideo. «I spent ten years in various schools and universities, but I never became a graduate», he points out. Instead of studying, Sanchez decided to practice and learn how the unique mythical stories of different ethnic groups fit into the context of the urban environment.
AlfAlfa can be found on the walls of Volos, Greece («Crion», 2018), Berlin, Germany («Goddess of the hunt», 2017), Breda, the Netherlands («Doctor Pigeon», 2018) and Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France («Cyclope»). In addition, several Sanchez murals are hidden in various cities of China, from Hunan province to Hong Kong.
Coloured details appeared on the mural upon the house residents' requests.
AlfAlfa's mural «Goddess of the hunt», Berlin, Germany, 2017.
Nicolas Sanchez was born in Merida (Venezuela) in 1983 in a family of artists. He has been drawing since his childhood, depicting fairytales and myths characters, as well as his own ideas. «For me, art is a sort of space in which you can feel absolutely safe», says the artist.
Sanchez's first artworks, made using the graphic technique, were done before he entered the School of Arts of Central University of Venezuela. Not having graduated from the university, AlfAlfa tried to continue his education in the National School of Visual Arts, Montevideo. «I spent ten years in various schools and universities, but I never became a graduate», he points out. Instead of studying, Sanchez decided to practice and learn how the unique mythical stories of different ethnic groups fit into the context of the urban environment.
AlfAlfa can be found on the walls of Volos, Greece («Crion», 2018), Berlin, Germany («Goddess of the hunt», 2017), Breda, the Netherlands («Doctor Pigeon», 2018) and Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France («Cyclope»). In addition, several Sanchez murals are hidden in various cities of China, from Hunan province to Hong Kong.
Sanchez's first artworks, made using the graphic technique, were done before he entered the School of Arts of Central University of Venezuela. Not having graduated from the university, AlfAlfa tried to continue his education in the National School of Visual Arts, Montevideo. «I spent ten years in various schools and universities, but I never became a graduate», he points out. Instead of studying, Sanchez decided to practice and learn how the unique mythical stories of different ethnic groups fit into the context of the urban environment.
AlfAlfa can be found on the walls of Volos, Greece («Crion», 2018), Berlin, Germany («Goddess of the hunt», 2017), Breda, the Netherlands («Doctor Pigeon», 2018) and Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France («Cyclope»). In addition, several Sanchez murals are hidden in various cities of China, from Hunan province to Hong Kong.
Coloured details appeared on the mural upon the house residents' requests.
AlfAlfa's mural «Goddess of the hunt», Berlin, Germany, 2017.
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